


Adamantine

by chinarai



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M, rivamika
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-07
Updated: 2017-05-07
Packaged: 2018-01-21 04:01:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 23,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1536773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chinarai/pseuds/chinarai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Despite it all, the Ackerman aren’t immune to love. XVI: The Baby: VI: Confront/Comfort: His voice was harsh as he reprimanded her, but she accepted it, knowing well that it was well deserved.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Thank You

**Author's Note:**

> Says the legend that if one wants to write better, then they should write a lot and at least once every day. So here I am, writing a lot and every day, and hoping it will work hah. (It's curious because things sound a lot better when I write in present tense instead of past tense; figures).
> 
> I requested some prompts a few days ago and I got two; one of them is:
> 
> Anonymous asked: How about Levi grieving over Petra and Mikasa trying to comfort him because he saved her and Eren's lives? if that interests you?
> 
> Well, everything concerning Levi and Mikasa interest me haha, so here it is! Not very romantic because I wanted to keep them in character, but I think it all flowed well.
> 
> Don't be afraid to send more prompts, chinarai is my tumblr and the askbox is always open for requests!
> 
> Enjoy! Reviews are appreciated xx

**Adamantine**

* * *

**adamantine; origin: English**

**(n.) something unbreakable; a legendary metal that was impenetrable**

**(adj.) unbreakable**

* * *

**I. Thank you**

* * *

She shouldn't be there, she thinks. Eren is safe, despite the fever, and Armin is unharmed and watching over him with Jean's help back in his room. That's all she wanted, her dear friends safe and away from harm's way, and that's what she got.

So she repeats in her mind,  _you shouldn't be here_ , but she already knocked on the door and he already called her inside, and he's been waiting for her to enter for some time now, but she can't bring herself to turn the doorknob, and so her grip around it only tightens and she exhales.  _What are you doing_ , she thinks, her arm is now shaking and she grits her teeth; why should she try to comfort the one who she deems as heartless, the one who beat Eren up in the courtroom a while ago?

The door opens, the metal knob slips from her fingers and he is standing on the other side, glaring up at her and silently demanding an explanation. She swallows as her hand falls back to her side, and meets his heated gaze with a blank one. "Can I come inside?" He whirls around and stalks back to his desk, leaving the way open for her and the unsaid words  _I already told you to enter long ago, brat_  hang in the air behind him.

There's tea in a porcelain cup on the tabletop, soft wafts of steam rising and dissipating, his paperwork is piled neatly in a corner, and two twin pens are lined beside it. Everything seems normal and tidy, but there are crumpled up papers resting by the chair legs, a dark blue stain of ink on his right sleeve and an unfinished letter that he snatches away from sight the moment her dark eyes fall on it, and it falls to the unpolished floor not too long after in the form of an uneven ball.

She inhales deeply and finds out that he's not drinking tea; it's coffee, black and strong and so unlike him.

He picks his cup and turns his chair around, and stares out the window and leaves her there sitting across the desk to stare at his back. The dark circles under his eyes are prominent and his hand trembles ever so slightly; she decides to believe it is because of the caffeine rush, not for the weight of losing an entire team, because she can't imagine him being weak. But the truth is out for those who want to see it, and for those who doesn't, and although he conceals it so well, one can see past his façade if they try hard enough.

It isn't hard for her, because they are so alike, as much as she hates to admit it. They're called the strongest soldiers, he's humanity's strongest for longer than her, yet he couldn't protect his team. He says they knew the risks, and they knew it, everyone knows you can die at any moment, doesn't matter if you joined the Scouting Legion or not; but he knows that it doesn't matter how strong you are, at some point you're bound to feel fear, and he can't help but feel like that was the last thing they felt before they fell into death's cold grip.

His glare wasn't as strong as it used to be the moment he opened the door and saw her there. In his grey irises she saw that he deems himself responsible and believes he himself sent them to their early grave, and the sight of it made an odd sense of uneasiness settle in her stomach. He shouldn't be displaying it; not in front of her, not in front of anyone else.

"Corporal," her voice breaks the silence, and his cup halts an inch away from his parted lips. He sips his drink and waits for her words, that he may or may not like, and she considers saying that she's sorry, but she knows he doesn't want anyone's pity, because they are so alike. So she decides to soften her voice just enough so she won't sound too cold nor too pitiful, for she doesn't feel an ounce of pity for a man like him, but it concerns her to see someone who's said to be her equal in such a state, because he's got a heart after all. "Thank you."

The chair skids backwards as she stands, and she walks around the desk to take the violently shaking cup from his hand. Hers settles on his shoulder and gives it a firm squeeze, and he doesn't look up at her as he places his own above hers and lets it rest there. Mikasa stands between him and the early morning light, draping him under a penumbra and remains there until his tired eyes closes, and he finally succumbs to sleep.


	2. Casual Affair: I: Devil Of A Boss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand I present you the second prompt:
> 
> hatsunecherry answered: me!me!me! What about Boss!Levi x Mikasa? Office AU
> 
> I really liked this prompt and the AU setting; might as well write a sequel or two /winkwonk
> 
> Send your prompts to chinarai @ tumblr!! 
> 
> Enjoy!

* * *

  **II. Devil Of A Boss**

* * *

“I don’t get paid enough for this,” she mutters darkly under her breath as the wind whips wildly about her and throws her shoulder length hair in a disarray state. Up a small set of stairs Mikasa goes, her umbrella nearly flies away from her grasp but the automatic doors open and she hurriedly enters the hall, secure walls keeping the cold wind outside and away from her slightly shivering form. The security guard by the entrance takes the umbrella from her hand and rolls the dark material around its metal shaft for her, seeing as one hand is occupied with a paper cup from the local coffee shop and the other is trying so hard to comb her hair back down into place.

After voicing her thanks and taking the umbrella back, she goes as fast towards the elevator as the slippery soles of her shoes let her, short heels clicking on the cold floor and mingling with the low volume of the television in the waiting area. She leaves a trail of wet footprints in her wake, it’s so hard to remain dry and warm when there’s a storm raging outside, but her damned boss asked for coffee and she had to be the one to go get it. Yes, she was his adjutant, yes, he was the second most important man of that corporation, but that still didn’t give him the right to treat her as a maid.

The elevator ride is peaceful as she goes up a couple of floors in the company of a sand-haired man and his freckled workmate. She remembers them from the days before she got promoted, from that one time when everything was fine and she didn’t get to work with that spawn of the devil – no, scratch that – the devil himself. They keep a conversation going; they crack jokes and even manage to make her smile a little, and all is good as her muscles slowly relax and the elevator slows to a stop on the fifth floor.

A bell rings and the doors slide open, only to stop two thirds of the way when thunder cracks outside and the entire block is engulfed by darkness. Her breath catches in her throat, her wide dark eyes glance around and try to adjust to the sudden blackness that took over her vision, then there’s a small square of light coming from her left, and she looks at it as if it’s an otherworldly being. “My battery is about to die,” Jean says with a slight shake of his head and turns the visor of his cell phone towards the gap between the metal doors to light the way.

One hand rests on the small of her back and gently pushes forward. “You go first,” Marco instructs, and she nods, sucking in her breath and her stomach as she squeezes her way through the opening.

They follow her out soon after. Jean guides the way through the hallway until they come across the door to the stairs, and Mikasa stops before it, hand already twisting the doorknob. “Take it with you,” he offers her the smartphone, and she only stares at it uneasily. “It will help you for a while longer. We’re already on our floor, anyways.” The girl nods her head and takes it from his palm with a thanks, and they wait until the door closes behind her back to find their way through the dark.

“I absolutely,” she grits her teeth when her feet miss another step, “don’t get paid enough for this.” She had already gone up five sets of stairs; two and half floors in total, and there were six and a half more to go. Mikasa had to lower the brightness of the screen and put the phone in airplane mode if she wanted the battery to last for a few more minutes, but it was already at three percent and there still was a long way to go.

Then the time comes when the screen goes black and she is left alone in the dark. The storm still rages outside as she stares blankly at the wall, palm pressed against the surface, and she breathes in deeply through her nose. The handrail is cool to the touch and guides her in the dark, her pace much slower than before, and her feet scream to be released from the confines of her shoes. She complies, takes the leather articles off and tucks them under her arm so she can still hold onto the metal and go up and up.

Lightning brightens up the sky and light seeps into the place, paints a clear square across the tiles and she uses the fleeting moment she is being given to see in which floor she is. Twelfth. Only two more.

She rests her forehead on the final barrier standing between her and the hallway that leads to his office, right hand trembling and fumbling with the knob, but the door doesn’t budge. A short cry of exasperation leaves her lips and she moves away, places the paper cup, her shoes and Jean’s cell phone on the floor, discards her thin blazer and simply throws it close to the other items, then turns to face the door. Her toes are unbelievably cold and her soles hurt, but they’re about to get worse as she hitches up her dark blue pencil skirt and kicks her right foot out at the door.

It bursts open after her fifth try. She gathers her things and makes her way to her destination, acting as if her hair isn’t slightly disheveled and her clothes aren’t wrinkled and her skirt is too far up around her legs. There’s a brand new thick stack of papers on her desk waiting to be delivered to him, and she places it in the crook of her elbow before entering his room, feeling her heart beating in her throat.

She sees his silhouette in the darkness, sitting poised in his leather chair and staring unseeingly at the blank screen of his monitor. Fingers entwined together and hands pressed to his lips, his grey eyes flicker over to her when she approaches his desk, and he merely casts a glance at the paperwork that is placed by the circular pen holder to his right.

Levi tugs on his jacket draped over the back of his chair as Mikasa walks around his table, his hand finds her legs in the dark, callused and warm palms coming to rest on the cool skin of her thigh, and his arm hooks around her hips and tugs her to his lap. She shivers and curls into him for warmth, and her devil of a boss places his jacket over her shoulders, previously protected only by a thin layer of clothing.

She passes him the paper cup; he sips his drink as if it had never gone cold and even hums in appreciation. “Good god, Mikasa,” he says into the dark, arm tightening around her form when her cold nose buries itself in the crook of his neck; “I love you for this.”

Outside the storm rages on, and she smiles against the skin of his throat. Maybe she does get paid enough for this.


	3. The Baby: I: Silence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I woke up this morning to find a prompt in my askbox, and that made me extremelly happy of course! But before I can write it, I need to watch something first so I know exactly what I'm writing about.
> 
> This one is just an idea I had earlier today; written in past tense, and maybe that's why I'm hesitant to post it.
> 
> But anyways, chinarai is my tumblr so go there and send me all of your prompts and ideas!
> 
> Enjoy!! xx

* * *

**III. Silence**

* * *

The news had reached him through a very agitated and much disoriented Moblit, who had all but burst into the meeting room without a single knock on the door. Levi was glad at the interruption, for he now could stretch his arms, but also slightly annoyed that the man felt the need to be so loud and so dramatic. The corporal thought nothing of it, though, and beside him Hange was already gently chiding him for interrupting the meeting in such a rude way until she realized her assistant’s wide brown eyes weren’t focused on her, but on the shorter figure to her right instead.

Levi met his gaze with a rather bored one, a single dark eyebrow slightly arched up, and it wasn’t until the man started talking that it dawned on him that Moblit was the one responsible for instructing his team as they trained. He shot up from his seat, the assistant took a reflexive step back and finished delivering the report, and the room went still as his last words hung in the air.

“She fainted during the training, mid-air. No one knows what happened.”

The meeting was put on-hold, and Levi was followed to the infirmary wing by his two friends and the assistant. He wasn’t surprised to see the rest of the team waiting outside her door, minus Eren and Armin of course, who were obviously inside by her bedside. Sasha was close to hyperventilating, but had her other teammates helping her breathe properly. “Springer.” The shorter guy turned towards their leader and hurriedly approached him, giving the older man a clumsy salute with his left hand. Levi decided to say nothing of it, for now. “What the hell happened out there?”

Sasha’s breath hitched and she nearly choked on air, and soon she was lead away by the blonde girl of the group, Connie watching after them worriedly. He was brought back to the present when his superior cleared his throat, and quickly blurted out, “We don’t really know, Corporal.”

Jean piped in when he realized his friend wouldn’t say much else. “She seemed fine, went through the warm up without any difficulty, then halfway through training she went limp and flew straight into Historia.”

“She called for me when she realized Mikasa was unconscious.” Moblit explained, voice still shaky. “She’s so lucky Historia was there.” Indeed, she was. Flying at top speed among branches and very high in the air too; had the blonde not been there, Mikasa would have certainly been seriously injured, and could have even fallen to her death.

With a nod, Levi ordered the boys to help Sasha, and Hange shooed Moblit away after reassuring the guy that the corporal wouldn’t ask for his head for what happened; the assistant seemed beyond relieved and only scurried away after requesting that he knew of the girl’s condition as soon as the medics were done examining her. The three higher ups, now left alone in the chilly hallway, turned to face the door of the infirmary room, and the commander pushed it open after the other man made no effort to do so himself.

The sight that met them was less than appealing. Mikasa was hunched over the side of her bed as she emptied her stomach’s content, Armin holding back the longer strands of her dark hair and Eren holding a metal bucket in his hands. Her hands gripped the sheets tightly and sweat dribbled down her temples and rosy cheeks, and she spat out one last time before collapsing on her side. The green eyed titan shifter put the bucket as far away as possible as his friend turned the girl to lie on her back, then gently tucked her in and brushed away her damp fringe from her forehead.

Hange and Erwin approached the bed, leaving a frowning Levi by the door. “What did they say?” The older woman asked after noticing the girl’s unfocused eyes and much paler skin.

“Mild fever and this is the third time she vomited.” Armin dabbed a wet handkerchief on her parted and slightly chapped lips, then pressed two fingers to the pulse on her neck. “They took a sample of her blood; said the results would be out soon.”

Levi dragged his gaze away from Mikasa’s emotionless face and focused on the blonde boy instead. How they had grown; it seemed like two days ago they were only fifteen, and now this boy was mastering the arts of medicine and had become an official strategist just two years ago, and the trio carried the weight of living for twenty three years in this cursed world. His eyes shifted to Eren, who stood still and felt powerless in this situation, much like he felt. Levi didn’t blame him; they weren’t born to heal other humans, only to slay titans and hope they didn’t get killed or devoured while doing so. And sure, seeing the strongest one of the 104th Squad, as well as his adoptive sister, bedridden for an unknown cause made him feel utterly and completely lost.

Mikasa blinked and her eyes seemed to be in focus again. She looked at the faces around her bed and then around the room, found Levi standing there and held eye contact until Eren called for her, and she turned towards his voice like she always had. “I’m okay,” she assured him with a weak smile. “Help me up.”

“Just be quiet, Ackerman!” The titan shifter halted, one hand holding hers and whilst the other pressed against the space between her shoulder blades, and curious eyes turned to the corporal as he finally approached the bed with a furious glare.  _Damn brat_ , grey met grey until one of them averted away,  _always trying to look strong._

In an uncharacteristic gesture, she lowered her head and allowed her shoulders to drop, instead of glaring at him like they had expected. Armin sucked in a breath between his teeth; she was too tired to even argue with the man.

Eren squeezed her shoulder comfortingly and moved away when the medic entered the room wearing a frown on his lightly wrinkled face. “Doctor?” Erwin inquired as the man rubbed the bridge of his nose, and soon he let out a sigh.

“There’s no easier way to say it,” his hand sneaked inside the pocket of his lab coat and retrieved a folded paper sheet. “She’s pregnant.”

For the second time that day, the room went still.

Armin and Hange were the first to unfreeze. The latter took the paper and inspected it with the blonde, one pretending to be reading, the other barely keeping his composure in check. Erwin urged the medic to keep speaking and explaining, to fill the room with something that wasn’t tension. “Around four months, we believe. She’s fine and the baby is safe.” Mikasa didn’t dare look up from the thin sheets to meet an incredulous green eyed gaze. “She could have lost it. It’s a miracle that she didn’t already, actually, given the circumstances.”

Eren ran a trembling hand through his hair and turned away from her, even more at a loss of what to say or do than he was before. It was completely unexpected, never had he thought she would have children of her own, it was hard to even imagine her settling down. Erwin patted him on the back as he made his way to a stool across the room, then turned to the doctor and spoke to him in a hushed tone. Levi remained by her bedside, back turned to them and eyes boring into the back of her lowered head.

Hange found her voice somewhere in her throat and spoke softly, “Did you know about it, Mikasa?”

The soldier remained silent, and knowing her it could only mean  _yes_.

The scientist inhaled through her nose and let the young man beside her speak next. “Were you planning on telling us?”

 _No_ , her silence said; she had never dreamed of telling them until the last minute or until she could no longer hide it.

It was Eren’s turn to ask, and he did so, elbows on his knees and deeply hunched forward, forcing air into his lungs and already trying to find ways to help her through it. “Do you know who the father is?”

No one could decipher the silence she gave them as answer, and they never saw how Levi’s fingers entwined with hers. 


	4. The Baby: II: Assurances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here I am again, and hoping I'll update this daily haha
> 
> \- JanieZ: OMG you need to continue this one, please! I'd really like a scene with only Levi and Mikasa, either before or after the reveal. Pretty please with cherry on top? *inserts pouty face here*
> 
> So, as requested, here's a sequel to the third chapter, Silence. I think this one is kinda fluffly, actually, and it makes /me/ feel giddy and stuff and yeeeaaaah I hope you like it, girl!
> 
> I'll work on the other prompt I got after I watch the movie, but in the mean time, feel free to send me your prompts to chinarai @ tumblr, or even comment/review with a request!
> 
> (also, please, have in mind that any mistakes will be corrected later today)
> 
> Enjoy! xx

* * *

**IV. Assurances**

* * *

It was late into the night when he left his room to visit her, and Levi would have felt like a foolish teenage in love sneaking out at night had he known what it was like to be said character. She was awake and waiting for him, back resting on the headboard of her bed and one thick comforter covering her legs, the small flames of the candles flickering and twisting the shadows. They had moved her to a more comfortable chamber, one that was conveniently closer to his, not that they knew he frequently checked on her before they even found out about her condition, and he could feel they wouldn’t know so soon that he was responsible for it either.

Two months had passed since the accident in the training grounds. Her stomach was much swollen and bigger than before, and it wasn’t that hard to convince Mikasa that she should stay away from her maneuver gear; in fact, she seemed more than willing to spend some time away so the baby could grow and form correctly, one could come to such conclusion the moment she delivered her uniform to Erwin and went about on regular civilian clothes, helping as much as she could and as much as they let her.

Eren and Armin, the former especially, hung around her like overprotective lionesses would to their cubs, helping her sit and stand and hurrying to her side whenever she wore an expression that was a sign of discomfort. Sasha and Historia were exceptionally useful throughout the day, helping her when the boys couldn’t, and keeping her company when they fussed and Eren voiced his endless list of concerns. Mikasa would only smile at him and try to calm his nerves, but he was as nervous as he was excited, and had already made her promise he and Armin would be there by her side when the time came.

Overjoyed; that was the only word Levi could think of to describe how both boys felt. They were going to be uncles, or so the titan shifter said, and they along with the rest of the male part of the squad were already making a list of all the things they would teach the baby so it could grow strong and join the Scouting Legion when it was of age. Kirstein was still somewhat hesitant, for reasons Levi really didn’t want to think about, but had embraced the cause and joined his teammates in their own _Help Mikasa_ squad.

“I think,” she hummed at the sound of his low voice, tilting her head in his direction but still not opening her eyes. The corner of his lips twitched when he glanced up at her, then his gaze travelled down to his hand resting on top of her stomach.

“Yes?” She squirmed slightly when his callused palm stroked her skin, legs moving under the comforter.

Levi threw one leg over hers so they would stop moving. “I think I can feel it.”

Her eyelashes fluttered and he now could see her grey irises glinting under the dim light of the candles, little flames reflecting in their dark depths. “I can feel it too,” she murmured, pressing one palm close to his and smiling slightly. “It seems happy.”

He nodded his head, eyes fixed on their hands again and thumb lightly tracing one small scar by her bellybutton. “It does.”

The baby was moving a lot that night, trying to get comfortable inside the mother’s stretched uterus, and Mikasa softly smiled at the man lying by her side, watching his face intently. “It’s happy that you’re here.”

Grey eyes flickered up at her, then down again. “Seems like it.” She let out a short, breathy laughter and playfully swatted his hand away, but it found its way back to her stomach soon after.

It was weird, Levi thought as he traced patterns on her swollen belly, that he felt as excited and nervous as both Armin and Eren did, though he could hide it way better than they hoped they ever could. He was almost scared of it, because he wasn’t born to heal someone, only to try to protect, and somehow he managed to _create_ a life. Her adoptive brother had confided to him his worries and thoughts once, and the one Levi couldn’t picture having kids was his own person, not Mikasa, and in the end there they were: humanity’s strongest soldiers had a baby on the way, and the mere thought of it set alarms off in his head.

Mikasa, as if reading his thoughts and feeling his body gradually tensing, placed her hand over his fist and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Levi,” he held his breath and uncurled his fingers slowly, warm palm resting on her equally warm skin, “you’re gonna do fine.”

But would he, really? They had yet to think of how they would break the news to everyone, and let they all know that her superior was the father of her child. He didn’t know how they would react; of all the people who mattered most, he was sure that Historia and Armin would be the ones who would take it all in quietly, and Hange would be the loudest of all, if Eren did not beat her to it, that is. The rest was unpredictable.

He had never really cared about other people’s opinions on him, but now it seemed the corporal couldn’t stop worrying about it. They had to tell them, they needed to. He wanted to be there to raise the baby, wanted it to know he was the father and not have to hide the truth and keep his distance as it grew up under the care of its mother, two uncles and a bunch of soldiers. Levi didn’t want to shower it with kisses and read bedtime stories, but he would take responsibility for the things he did, not only because it was right, but mostly because he loved the young woman carrying the kid, and good god, he already loved it.

Just one of the things he never imagined would happen; never had he thought he would care so deeply for someone.

“Have I ever told you...?” He trailed off, not knowing how to approach the subject, but Mikasa was patting his hand and shaking her head slightly.

“You don’t need to,” he locked his gaze with hers, and there was a smile on her lips again. “I don’t need to hear it. I already know.”

Levi nodded his head numbly and suddenly shot up to a sitting position, pressing his palm down harder on her stomach. The woman’s smile only widened as she studied his stunned expression through half lidded eyes, watching his brows draw down and his lips part as his breath hitched. “It...”

She gave a nod, lacing her fingers together and resting her hands above her ribcage, eyes slipping closed. “It kicked,” Mikasa confirmed, and the man let out a puff of breath. “Talk to it.” He looked at her oddly, and for a moment she believe he was really going to when Levi started to lower his head, but he only pressed his ear against her belly and inhaled deeply through his nose.

Lean fingers lazily played with the dark strands of his hair, and he pressed the back of her other hand against his lips. “Mikasa,” he whispered after a while, breaking the silence.

“Yes, Levi?” Her voice was much softer now; he realized she must be feeling awfully tired, and felt guilty for keeping her awake for so long, but if anything the motions of her fingers were making him feel drowsy as well.

He blinked his eyes rapidly to remain awake and murmured, “I wanna be there.”

A smile stretched on her lips, and she understood all the hidden meanings. “You will be.”

Mikasa felt the corner of his mouth curling up against her skin.


	5. The Baby: III: Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've got a few lovely people (JanieZ, Kittens Hellfire, and one guest) asking for a sequel to Silence and Assurances, so here it is!
> 
> Reply to a guest: I was thinking of turning this series into its own story, but I only had things planned up until this chapter. One of the reasons why I'm not separating it from this drabbles collection is because I don't really know how long this one will last, but there will be certainly more to come; the precise number, though, is a mystery even to me haha. A while ago I saw a few people who published several short stories like this, "multi chapter" fics and one-shots together under one name, so I'll be doing the same! Before the chapter's title I'll include the name of the series. So, so far we have (in chronological order):
> 
> Office!AU: Devil Of A Boss
> 
> The Baby: Silence, Assurances, Truth
> 
> (please, don't mind the ridiculous names lmao) 
> 
> Enjoy! xx

* * *

**V. Truth**

* * *

Erwin regarded her in silence, face completely void of any emotion and chin propped up in his joined hands. Mikasa sat across from him, the mid morning light bright against her face and shadowing his form slightly, dark eyes meeting his even stare with a cool gaze of her own. The ticking coming from the clock to her left was the only sound besides their breathing, and she felt like she could choke at any moment due to her wild heartbeat she felt in the front of her throat.

He seemed like the right person to open up to, she concluded just a few days before; their commander would listen to her and would, hopefully, understand the fragile situation they were in, maybe would even help them come up with a way to break the news to the other members of Squad Levi. But now she wasn't so sure anymore. Erwin had listened to her story in absolute silence, hadn't asked anything nor did any emotion flicker in his blue eyes. Mikasa wouldn't have felt bothered by it under normal conditions, but all the side effects of her pregnancy were weighing her down; her back hurt greatly and she was absolutely tired, and she should have remained in bed that day, but had decided to talk to him before it was too late.

The commander leaned back and lowered his hands to the tabletop, finally glancing away for the first time in minutes. "This is a surprise." The woman across from him slowly released a breath she was holding and unclenched her fists on her lap. "I admit I'd have liked it better if both of you had trusted me and told me about it before, though."

She pressed her lips together; she wouldn't let herself be guilty tripped by this man in a moment like this. "I'm trusting you now," her fingers curled around the arms of the chair and she shifted to a more comfortable position, "without Levi's knowledge."

His thick eyebrows rose up slightly, genuinely surprised by her sudden confession. So this decision was hers and hers alone, she was taking all the risks and would face his judgment like the brave soldier she was, would shoulder the weight of her choices without the help of the unborn child's father. Erwin rearranged his pen lying by a finished stack of paperwork; truly admirable, he admitted, an almost content smile touching his lips. He could feel her wary gaze focused on his shoulder, knew she wouldn't face him while the gears turned in his head.

"Very well." Her muscles relaxed at his words, and they both turned to face each other. "I understand why you were hesitant. It's a complicated situation that you two are in, but I'll help as much as I can."

Mikasa bowed her head slightly, fingers wrapped tightly around the chair as she pushed herself up on her feet. "Thank you, sir." Her palms were flat against the tabletop whilst she straightened her back, muscles screaming in pain as she tried to balance the extra weight she had been carrying for nine months now. "It means a lot for us – the three of us."

Erwin nodded his head after she gave a slow salute and turned to his drawers to retrieve a brand new pile of reports, half aware of the door opening as the woman made her way outside. He was somewhat relieved to know that Levi was the father, someone they could trust, not a faceless, nameless soldier that wasn't close to the group. Now he could also discard the possibility that she had been forced to do anything; he knew Mikasa was one of the prideful type, and if she had been abused in any way she would never tell anyone.

Now he had to find a way to help them. He understood their worries; how to tell her childhood friends that their squad leader was the one who got her pregnant? But the duo seemed to have forgotten that Armin was very understanding, and Eren admired and respected the corporal; they would accept it, immediately or on the long run. The rest, though, he agreed with her that they couldn't predict any possible reactions.

"Mikasa...?" The man snapped out of his reverie, papers halfway out of the drawer, and glanced up at the door to see Armin facing the pregnant woman, who had a hand latched around his wrist in a painful grip and one shoulder leaned against the doorframe of the office. The strategist let the maps fall from his hands as he moved closer to her, cupping one palm around her elbow to better support her, voice already laced with panic. "Mikasa, are you okay?"

He shot up from his seat and walked across the room, the faint  _drip drip_  sound of drops falling on paper getting louder as he approached the young soldiers, and it didn't escape his eyes the round water beads that slid down her ankles. "Her water broke," he said in a surprisingly calm tone, one strong and firm hand rested on her forearm to better support her back, and Armin forgot how to breathe for a while. Erwin swallowed, hooked one arm under her knees and lifted her off the ground. "Tell someone to get Levi!"

Armin whirled around and darted down the hallway, nearly tripping on his own feet as he searched for anyone that could be sent after his superior, but surely, Erwin meant to say Eren instead of Levi, right?

* * *

The corporal entered the same damned infirmary room three steps ahead of the titan shifter, swiftly walking past the commander that stayed by the door and heading towards the woman lying on the bed, surrounded by a medic and two nurses, with a loyal Armin to her right holding her hand and bearing the pain of her grip. Her eyes lit up at the sight of his approaching form, but were quickly hidden under her eyelids as her muscles contracted and she grit her teeth to hold in a gasp.

Levi didn't have the luxury of holding her other hand throughout the birth process; Eren had held it, and the older man had to content himself with supporting her by the shoulders whenever she pushed and forced the baby out of her, and also wiped away the sweat from her flushed face. She panted and let out short, small cries – such a weird sight to see her like that, the one who could take a sword to the stomach and still stand was currently writhing in pain right before his eyes – and her brother to her left, more agitated than Levi had ever seen, tried to calm her down, but at the same time snapped at the medic that he  _do something to spare her of this!_

At times he swore he could see her mouthing his name, other times her eyes tried to find his, but there was never much time for eye contact between one contraction and the other. He also felt out of place; he couldn't hold her hands, she couldn't face him, and he wanted to be the one cursing at the doctor. He wanted to brush her damp hair away from her face, but also didn't, he wanted to say words of encouragement but something was holding them back. Levi had always known he would be a terrible lover, and now he was going to become a terrible father.

Mikasa arched away from the bed, letting out one of the most painful sounds ever since the labor began. Both boys cringed and winced at her vice-like grip on their hands, one shrill cry joined hers soon after, and the woman choked on air and fell limp against the mattress as she took in large gulps of air. Two pairs of grey eyes watched the doctor as he held the bloodied body of their baby in his hands, and the man moved to the far side of the room to get the child cleaned.

Her mouth was still agape when Eren turned to her, one bright grin on his face. "You did it, Mikasa!" She tried so hard to smile back at him as she finally released their hands, but her eyes were still searching for the father, and so Levi stepped into her line of vision. He held her gaze steadily, his was impassive and hers was spent, but that's how it had to be for now.

Armin was gentle as he helped her sit up and placed one glass of water to her lips, and she greedily drank it all. "You should rest now." Then he turned to the boy across from him, "Come on, Eren."

"What?" He protested almost angrily. "No way, I want to see the baby first!"

"Eren." The blond glanced at their squad leader, but he was too busy staring at the space between his hand and Mikasa's. It didn't take Armin too long to understand what was going on; Erwin hadn't messed up the names, he had intended to say Levi from the start, and his presence in the room only strengthened the boy's suspicions that this man could be the father. "Let's go." He left no room for arguments as he turned away from the bed and marched for the door, leaving his friend no other option besides follow him outside whilst muttering curses under his breath.

Levi tried to say something, but soon they were joined by the medic, one small blue bundle in his arms. "It's a healthy boy. Congratulations," he said with a smile, passing the baby to Mikasa's already waiting arms, then parted without another word to the duo.

The corporal sat on the edge of the bed, leaning forward to take a glimpse of his son's face. Pale skin, flushed chubby cheeks, small round nose, and a tuff of black hair decorated the top of his head; it was impossible to say who he resembled most, and he wondered if his eyes were light like his own or dark like hers.

"Did you pick a name?" He rasped out, watching as she stroked one fingertip on the baby's soft skin.

Mikasa nodded tiredly, "Caleb." Then she glanced up at him, irises much brighter than usual, a tired smile on her lips. "Do you like it?" He, too, nodded, and she shifted slightly as she turned to him. "Do you want to hold him?"

He gazed down at the baby, unsure if that was the right thing to do. "What if I hurt him?"

"You won't," she assured softly, balancing the newborn on one arm as she reached for the man and tried to position his arms correctly.

"Mikasa, don't." But she shook her head, her disheveled hair and tired appearance making her seem oddly attractive, and she carefully placed the infant in his arms.

"You'll have to do it, sooner or later." Both parents watched Caleb's tiny fingers flexing, his mouth working as soft sounds escaped past his lips, and his still blissfully closed eyelids. "Talk to him."

Levi furrowed his brow, but directed his gaze back to the baby nonetheless and swallowed before trying. "Oi, Caleb." It sounded like the tone he used to reprimand Eren back then; gruff, dry and short-spoken. Mikasa's shoulders shook as she laughed in silence, and the man clicked his tongue at her actions. "Why the fuck are you laughing?"

"Levi," she tried to sound stern, but her weariness and muffled giggles wouldn't let her. "Watch your mouth."

His tongue clicked against his teeth again, but he was smirking at her and his eyes softened when the baby let out a small coo. "You really should sleep." Mikasa was about to protest, but it was his turn to shake his head and shush her. "I won't leave. I promise."

She seemed satisfied with the answer she got and leaned back onto the soft pillows she was given, exhaling deeply through her nose when he brushed her fringe away from her face, and his lips ghosted over her forehead in a kiss. The baby cooed again in his arms, dark grey irises looking up at him and then moving about the room, catching sight of four figures at the doorstep, watching the whole scene unfold.


	6. Casual Affair: II: Cancelled Plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I fiiiinally got to work on a sequel to our wonderful office!AU
> 
> -yuuutsu-heichou asked: Oh my god! I would love it if you continued the boss!Levi AU, it's adorable!
> 
> I have a few plans for the sequel, but I'd like it if you guys told me what you expect for it, so maybe I can use a few ideas and make something nice for everyone!
> 
> Also, please, do tell me other side ships you'd like to see in here, or in other stories to come! I reeeeaally don't know which ones to pick (besides rivamika and springles haha)
> 
> Office!AU: Devil Of A Boss, >Cancelled Plans

* * *

**VI: Office!AU: Cancelled Plans**

* * *

The coffee is still heavenly hot when he sips it and was prepared just the way he liked. Though the man would rather have black tea over coffee, the local café doesn't sell it, and if Levi wants to have a productive day at work he will have to abide and accept whatever can be given to him.

His hand moves over the page, his favorite metallic pen held in his fingers, the ballpoint tip strokes the stark white surface and leaves a trail of words written in dark blue ink. His handwriting is one messy scrawl, but he still manages to make it somewhat elegant with the way he angles each letter; however, it has always been, despite the slight sloppiness, legible, but if one doesn't understand it, he won't explain. Let them figure it out, he thinks whenever one person frowns their forehead at the paper; he wasn't hired to decipher his own handwriting to other people.

Mikasa enters his office for the first time that day, more reports to read and documents to sign placed in the crook of her elbow, and she walks the distance to his desk, composed and completely professional.

"Wearing pants for once, Ackerman?" He doesn't lift his head, and she frowns at him before tilting her head down to look at her tailored, navy blue item in question.

Thanks to their early-spring hectic schedule, she hasn't found much time to stop working so she could do her laundry and clean her apartment, the pile of dirty clothes getting bigger and bigger after a couple of days. Mikasa has already run out of pencil skirts, only a few dresses remain clean, and she is glad she has enough dress shirts to survive at least another week. The pants she usually wears on much colder days when thick pantyhose don't provide enough warmth had to be dug out from the back of her closet to replace her skirts.

The adjutant wasn't about to let her boss know of all of that. "I don't want to go through the same scenario from yesterday again."

She shuffles the papers in her hands; Levi puts away one finished document and starts on the next one without missing a beat. "You say it as if it wasn't enjoyable."

Her lips pressed together in one firm line, dark grey eyes glaring holes into the crown of his head. Of course he would bring it up, he always did, and she had completely forgotten he would remember the things they did in the dark, and not the blackout itself. "It was unprofessional of us," Mikasa decides to say finally after swallowing hundreds of attempts and half assed explanations. "It shouldn't happen again."

"It shouldn't," her boss finally looks up then, leaves the golden pen forgotten on the dark tabletop as he leans back into his leather seat, "or it can't?"

Her pink mouth hangs agape for a brief moment, then she seems to come back to her senses and quickly shuts it, lips pressing onto the other again and teeth gritting behind them. Well groomed eyebrows draw down angrily, and she almost,  _almost_ , scowls at him. Her glare is still at one hundred percent, though. "I'm not gracing you with an answer."

Levi makes a sound in the back of his throat and leans towards his desk when she  _delicately_  puts the new pile of paperwork next to the unfinished stack. "I wasn't expecting one in the first place," then he's back to work, words being scribbled down at top speed and name being signed where it is required. "Tell Jaeger to drop by and give me the damn file that was due last year." He can imagine her nodding as she prepares to exit the room. "And Ackerman."

She stops in the middle of the room, "Sir?"

"Get me another cup of coffee."

The woman turns around to take a glimpse at the paper cup on his desk. "It's half full, sir."

He scoffs, puts one document away and reaches for the next one. "Well, it's half empty to me."

Now she does scowl at him, her hands fisting by her sides, she whirls around quickly and stalks back to the door whilst muttering darkly under her breath. "Goddamn son of a..."

"What did you just say?"

"You goddamn son of a bitch," Mikasa repeats aloud, throws him a smirk when he lifts his head to glare at her, then softly clicks the door behind her back as she leaves.

**::**

**::**

She is back again not too long after, and just in time to replace his empty cup of coffee. Mikasa studies the empty paper cup warily, it feels almost weightless in her hand, and wonders if he drank it all quickly just so he could put her under the wrong light. Yes, she concludes, and she should have expected him to do it, for he absolutely loves to get on her nerves, and sometimes she wonders if he's trying to drag her back to hell with him.

The woman is as amusing as she is irritating, and Levi can't decide he likes or hates her, though it's highly unlikely that it's the latter (if that was the case they wouldn't have kissed yesterday, or fucked on his desk, or on last year's party, and so on)but she does tick him off more frequently than she gets on his bright side. And maybe that is the reason why he bosses her around, so he can see that fiery side of hers that is hidden under social clothes, carefully chosen words and piles of paperwork.

They both grew used to each other after the first tense initial weeks of working together, a time when she threatened to end his life and he did what he does just so he could drive her away. It wasn't until later that he found out that her  _adorable_  adoptive brother and their childhood friend talked her out of going straight to Erwin's office and demanding that she have her old job back. Levi, of course, gave them more work than one normal human could handle, but they had surprised him, the blonde especially, and presented it all just in time.

Except for that one document Jaeger was supposed to turn in, but didn't.

Levi regards the brand new stack delivered earlier that morning as if it held the answers to all imaginable problems, and smirk as he dots the "I" in his name. Maybe she will have to pay for Jaeger's incompetency. "Ackerman."

Mikasa has her back turned to him, busy with filing away all the signed paperwork, and replies without turning around. "Yes, sir?"

"What do you have scheduled for this Friday night?"

There is silence on her part as she flips through the documents to find the one that belongs in the open drawer. "Eren's birthday party, sir."

He hums absentmindedly and signs another report; yes, just as expected. "Very well," he puts down his golden pen and backs the chair away from the desk so he can stand, paper cup in his left hand and jacket dangling from his right fingers. "Cancel that."

 _"What!?"_  She nearly screeches, whirling around and almost dropping the things in her hand, black hair fanning about her head and settling down in a slight messy way.

He takes a sip from his drink, calmly, and cocks his head towards the stack of paper on the desktop. "There's no way we'll finish it all in time." He says it as if she's dense, and her mouth is hanging open again as he approaches her. "My place, this Friday, 8 p.m. I'll cook."

This time he can see her gritted teeth through the gap between her parted lips, her cheeks are flushed red and again she is wearing that scowl that he adores to see. Mikasa unceremoniously throws the documents away and slashes her hand at the air, hitting his paper cup and purposefully sending it flying across the room, leaving a trail of dark liquid in its wake. Then, as he turns his pissed off gaze in her direction, her forehead bumps painfully onto his, their noses are pressed together and he can feel her hot breath fanning over his lips. She pulls away quickly after, upturned hands fly into the air as if she can summon her life force and strike him with it, and one enraged and exasperated cry escapes her mouth, then she speed walks away, the door slamming loudly behind her retreating form.

Levi eyes the forgotten paperwork and the dark stains left on his carpet, and thankfully all documents managed to stay dry and intact. "Oh yes," he says to the air, arms slipping through the sleeves of his jacket, hands working on the buttons and then tugging at the collar. "I am a goddamn son of a bitch indeed." He smirks as he checks his wristwatch and leaves his office knowing that she will be there.


	7. Icarus: I: Found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bloo blah I had this idea earlier tonight while listening to Icarus by Bastille, which is kind of fitting if you think about it haha  
> This series are loosely inspired by the Greek myth of Icarus, and also by the idea/headcanon that Levi has the Wings of Freedom tattooed on his back.
> 
> I'm not very content with this chapter, and it probably is because I don't know how to write intros, and the best prologues are the smaller ones hmmm but I hope it's enjoyable enough; there will be sequels, but I can't promise they'll be posted soon.
> 
> So now I need to decide if I'm going to write a new Office!AU chapter or make a sequel for The Baby. In the mean time, I'll be debating if the other idea I had, Chess Pieces, will be posted here or will be made into its own story (I'm leaning towards the latter, and if that truly happens, it will take some time before I post the first chapter).  
> Office!AU: Devil Of A Boss, Cancelled Plans
> 
> The Baby: Silence, Assurances, Truth
> 
> Icarus: Found
> 
> Thank you for reading, and enjoy! xx

* * *

  **VII: Icarus: Found**

* * *

 

That wasn’t the best day for a trip to the beach; the skies were filled with grey clouds that blocked most of the sunlight, the water was cold and the sand felt too rough under the bare soles of their feet, but the trio still ventured out of their home out of boredom, spread a towel on the dull looking sand and kicked off their shoes in order to spend some time together, as if they didn’t do it daily already.

Despite the ugly weather, there was no strong wind to bother them as they played, only a gentle, occasional, cool breeze. The orange flying disc zipped left and right, being caught by strong hands only to be thrown again. It cut through the air with the efficiency of a knife, finding no resistance to slide smoothly between the space of two bodies.

The only girl of the group caught the frisbee with one hand, and with a flick of her wrist sent it flying towards the blonde to her left. “I’m going for a walk,” her short dark hair was tied with the red hair tie she always carried around, and she started to walk away as soon as the boys nodded in acknowledgement.

“Be careful, Mikasa.” The brunet said, green eyes flickering towards her back for a split second before returning to the game.

She walked close to the water, leaving a trail of footprints on the wet sand that were wiped away when the cold waves reached them, and she curled her toes at the unpleasing sensation. Hands were buried in the pocket of her hoodie, her trademark red scarf was wrapped around her neck securely, keeping that area warm whilst her legs were mostly bare to the chilly breeze that swept past at times.

As her fingers played with her cell phone and her eyes watched two or three people that decided to leave their houses for the day as well, she could hear a group of seagulls by the docks, and the insistent bark of a dog reached her ears as it ran after the grey and white birds. Past the dock she went, lips pursed as she pondered and realized that the once boring game she was playing with her friends was much more entertaining than this walk in this deserted, cold place.

The dog followed her, sniffled her ankles and jumped around her as happy yips left its mouth, long brown tail wagging from side to side whenever it looked up at her and she looked down at it. She stopped in her tracks; the water washed over her feet, and she shivered slightly. “Hey, boy.” Mikasa said tentatively, and the dog cocked its head to the side at the sound of her voice. “Are you alone?” It let out another bark, its pink tongue lolled out the side of its jaw over sharp teeth, and the corners of her lips curved upwards. Maybe she could keep it, if Armin and Eren agreed.

She continued onwards, and the dog never strayed too far as it ran about the sand or into the cold sea, mouth always open in what she could have imagined as a grin. Her pace slowed down as she neared the end of the beach, dark rocks in the distance marking where the sand ended and the hill covered in trees started. However it seemed that one of the rocks was too deformed, and after watching from afar for a few moments, Mikasa picked up her pace again and closed the distance between herself and her target, squinted eyes slowly widening as she got closer.

She froze in place, torn between wanting to run away or run forward.

There in the sand, right before her, lied a naked man on his stomach, one leg stretched and the other slightly bent, elbows touching his ribs and loosely clenched fists by his head.

The difference between him and any normal man, though, were the pair of mismatching wings on his back, both fully opened to the sides, one black, one white.

Mikasa sucked in a breath through her teeth, the dog stood right beside her, afraid of taking one more step towards the man. But she did, her feet moved on their own and soon she was turning the man around, keeping her dark eyes focused on his face so she would not look where she shouldn’t. The wings folded by themselves, retreating to what she guessed was the most comfortable position. She took off her hoodie, laid it over his pelvis out of respect for his person and dignity, and dialed her friend’s number to get help, gaze trained on his face and dark, dark hair.

He had sand all over his features, clinging to his eyelashes and brows, dusting his forehead and coating his chapped lips. Mikasa tried to be as gentle as possible whilst she brushed the grains away, hoping she wouldn’t awaken him, and hardly touched him afterwards as his limbs were examined in search for bruises.

Thankfully her friends soon arrived. Questions were made and disbeliefs were voiced, the three were reluctant to leave him there, but also knew that taking him in could be dangerous. The blond spoke over the hesitancy, said they could at least treat his wounds and offer him some water and a meal, and he would most likely leave afterwards. “He seems older than us,” Armin said, blue eyes focused on the stranger. “He must have a family. Somewhere.”

Armin gave up his shorts to cover the man, and Eren took off his shirt in hopes it would hide majority of the wings, and also offered to carry him to their shared home. His friends helped place the man on his back; strong tan arms curved around pale legs, and Eren grunted when all the weight made his spine arch. “For someone so short, he sure is heavy.”

“We can take turns,” Mikasa offered, but the boy merely brushed her off and urged them to leave the area, the dog following after them.

It was Armin who tended to a couple of shallow cuts and deeper ones on the man’s ribcage and arms, bandages thankfully weren’t needed, and the brunet’s most oversized clothes were lent to the injured stranger, along with one of Mikasa’s blankets, to keep him warm. Eren was the one who allowed let this person sleep in his bed while he would sleep on a spare mattress in Armin’s bedroom; he felt responsible for the person’s well being, the blonde guessed as he lightly pushed his friends out of the room, and was trying to be a good host.

It was much, much later, though, when the two boys were in the kitchen and Mikasa had gone check on the man, tray in hands with a glass of water and two oranges, that they heard the distinctive sound of shattering and metal clanging on the floorboards. There was no scream to accompany it, and they were already on their way before she could even call out for them, although they doubted she would.

So they both squeezed their way through the open door, stepped over broken glass and a small puddle of water, and found the man on his feet, standing on top of the mattress, mismatching wings spread out behind him, and small light grey irises glaring daggers at the girl by the foot of the bed.

Mikasa, if anything, glared in return.


	8. Casual Affair: III: Confessions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Sorry for not updating this in a while; my finals are approaching and I need to focus on school!
> 
> This is an Office!AU update! I've decided to rename this as Casual Affair, inspired by Panic! At The Disco's song.
> 
> So here is the thing: I've been feeling emotional lately for lady reasons and this is the only excuse I have for the final product I managed to create. Also, bell peppers are actually fruits; yes, shocking I know (I had to stop writing to recollect my thoughts) so remember that when you see that Levi put sliced fruits in the frying pan. And there is no sexy time... Yet. I'm gonna update Icarus or The Baby next, I don't know which one yet or when, but I will.
> 
> Casual Affair (Office!AU): Devil Of A Boss, Cancelled Plans, >Confessions

* * *

**VIII: Office!AU: Confessions**

* * *

Chimes sound from somewhere inside the flat and Mikasa steps away from the door, hand falling from the doorbell to hold the box from the bakery with both hands. Thanks to his lovely invitation, she had no other option than ditch Eren’s birthday party to spend the night working with her boss; her brother, although disappointed, had understood her reasons and made her promise she would arrive in time to eat at least one slice of cake (a slice she knew he would save for her regardless of the time she arrives, and keep it well away from Sasha’s hungry eyes).

Another thing that she couldn’t run away from was to (finally) do her laundry. Her apartment is much cleaner and tidier now that all her skirts and dress shirts are either hanging to air dry or folded and returned to where they belong. So the young woman now stands right before Levi’s front door, dressed in one of the pencil skirts that she missed dearly, with a lemon tart (the only dessert he really enjoys, she keeps on repeating to herself) in the rectangular white box.

The lock clicks as it is turned, and the door is pulled back to reveal the shorter figure of her boss, one simple black apron over his white linen shirt and grey slacks. He beckons her inside with a jerk of his head, she doesn’t miss when his eyes fall on the box in her hands, and there is a hardly visible smile on her lips when she walks past him and he closes the door. Mikasa follows him to the kitchen, where ingredients are neatly placed about on the counter and a half sliced onion sits on his dark cutting board made of tempered glass. Levi doesn’t waste a second to return to his task, and as he cuts the bulb his guest opens the fridge and deposits the dessert inside, knowing well by now that she doesn’t need to ask for permission.

“I didn’t think you’d come,” he says in a casual tone, blinking his eyes rapidly at the stinging sensation.

Mikasa pulls back one of the stools by the counter and crosses her ankles once she’s seated. “I didn’t have another choice.”

He rubs his right eye with the back of his hand. “You could have ditched me instead.”

She scoffs, elbows perched on the cold granite and chin resting on her entwined fingers; had he not voiced his words flatly, they would have actually made her feel bad. “And risk getting fired?” Her tongue clicks against her teeth just in time with his; her smirk isn’t seen, neither is his frown. “Not a chance, sir.”

“You know I don’t,” he gathers the onion rings at the center of the board with his knife, the blade lightly scrapping the glass, “mix personal matters with job issues.” Air rushes out her lungs through her nose, silently and slowly, and Mikasa tilts her head down to rub her fingertips on her forehead. It’s going to be a very long night and not the first one in which he uses the excuse of “too much paperwork” to be with her alone and try to bring up the topic of their messed up relationship. “Eren is your priority, isn’t he?”

Levi tosses the onions in a large frying pan and drizzles olive oil all over them, body stiff as he puts the heavy bottle away and sets the fire to medium-low. “We’ve already discussed this,” she says, voice strained and dry to hide her mental weariness.

“Have we?” He knows he won’t get an answer and doesn’t want one, but he asks anyway because the subject has been suffocating him for a long time.

“Yes,” she can’t be sure anymore if they’re talking about Eren being her priority, or if the words refer to their casual, secret affair; it always starts like this and never gets anywhere. “Yes, we have.” The man standing with his back to her hums almost absentmindedly, but she knows every nerve and cell of his body is on alert and restless.

His tongue runs over his bottom lip and he doesn’t say anything, only places each shrimp one at a time on the pan and covers it with a lid. Mikasa watches as he reaches for a green bell pepper and starts cutting it, and she tucks a strand of inky black hair behind her ear before rising from the stool. “Let me help you.”

“You don’t need to,” but she is already on her way to the sink, and Levi can only sigh at her stubbornness. Water glides over her skin as she rubs dish soap on her palms and the back of her hands, foam swirls down the drain and she doesn’t notice when the knife cuts through the fruit with more strength than before.

Mikasa knows where to find another cutting board and sharp knife, and situates herself beside his form, closer to the washed and cleaned bell peppers than him, and picks a yellow one to start with. It feels like a routine, one that she is comfortable with, to stand beside him and prepare the same meal again, the one he always picks when she comes over to work, because she, accidentally, once said that she had loved it. He is as preoccupied in cooking shrimps with bell peppers as she is in buying the same lemon tart from the same bakery; they often worry about pleasing the other in more ways than one.

Levi, on his part, tries not to think of how familiar she is with his apartment. He gave her his permission to make herself feel at home once they were actually comfortable in each other’s presence, and that permission turned into a full green pass to do whatever she pleased after the first time he took her, there behind the closed door of his office some weeks ago. She knew where to find pens, keys, bills, even knew in which drawer he kept his underwear. Mikasa was the one who sorted out his ties by color, then after that she had picked a red one and slung it over his neck, and moved her mouth hungrily against his as she guided him back to his bed.

He doesn’t understand it. Sometimes he wants to, but thinks better of it and decides to let it pass, once, twice, thrice, enough times until all these thoughts fill his mind to the brim and threaten to spill from his ears. She dives in head first, gives herself to him and takes some of him in return, she voices her pleasure, touches him just the way he likes, and after they’re done she retreats back into her shell, and doesn’t even tease him back when he tries to. They come and go, get together only to break apart, and Levi never thought he would need her to make up her mind before he went crazy.

The knife cuts through empty air and he realizes with a start that he has already cut all the bell peppers, and hastily moves them over to a plate where Mikasa can put her own slices, and only then does he add the fruits to the cooking shrimp and onion rings. His guest is by the sink again washing the dirty utensils, and Levi’s hands are flat on the dark granite of his counter and he takes in deep, even breaths to soothe his senses. It doesn’t work.

Finally, he decides to speak. “What are you so afraid of?”

Mikasa could have done a better job in hiding how his words affected her, but fate wasn’t on her favor and the knife slips from her fingers at the sound of his voice, hitting the bottom of the stainless iron sink with a sharp clang. Blindly, she reaches for the tap; water starts running and fills in the silence as she rinsed her hands, and soon it is silent again as she wipes them dry on the white dish towel. Levi repeats his words, and she detects the plea behind his guarded tone. “What are you so afraid of, Mikasa?”

She keeps her back to him, and he keeps his to hers, and the young woman forces air into her burning lungs. “I don’t know,” she confesses in a whisper, fingers curling tightly around the cloth in her hands. Mikasa hears when he breathes out, and his clothes shuffle when he shifts his weight.

“I think I can understand,” he licks his lips, “why you are so hesitant.” His adjutant remains silent and he pictures the way her chest rises and falls as she breathes, torso bare and naked back against his bed sheets. God damnit,  _god damnit._

This time she’s the one who shifts, and Levi takes it as a sign to keep going. “I’m getting old, Mikasa. I’ll be thirty eight by the end of the year; I am almost old enough to be your father.”

He hears when her lips part and braces himself. “You think,” she searches for the right words, and finds none, searches for air, but it seems to be scarce around her, so Mikasa nearly wheezes out the rest of her sentence; “You think your age is the problem?”

“Let’s be honest now.” Levi pushes away from the counter, and she moves away from the sink. They are in synchrony as they gravitate around and towards each other, moving accordingly and simultaneously. “I spent most of my life focusing on working and getting a better life. I can’t expect to keep someone like you around at this point.”

“Levi,” no other words follow his name, and she averts her eyes almost shamefully for not finding the correct things to say. What is she so afraid of, she asks herself, and the answer is nowhere in sight, but still she hesitates and pushes him away, and at the same time brings him closer. Mikasa can feel his stare focused on her face, air rushes out her lungs until the muscles of her ribcage ache, and he’s the one who speaks up again.

Her boss doesn’t seem or sound much different than his usual self, but she knows he feels vulnerable opening up like this. She knows, because they are almost perfect reflections of each other, and because that’s the way she feels at the moment. “There are much better and younger options out there, boys willing to give you the attention you deserve.”

“I never,” Mikasa lifts her eyes to his and holds his gaze, “thought you could be so insecure about yourself.”

“I’m not insecure.” He bites out, feeling almost insulted at her accusation. “I’m simply aware that I won’t be able to entertain you for much longer.”

Her pink mouth falls open; she seems incredulous. “You think you are only an entertainment?”

“Well, it certainly–”

“Levi!” She cuts him, voice high, and his lips seal shut. He finally sees her expression, takes time to examine it, and guilt starts pooling at the bottom of his stomach. Her teeth are painfully gritted together, her brows are drawn down over unusually bright pools of dark grey; Mikasa is deeply hurt by his words, and she for once is not hiding it.

He takes in a deep breath, one shaking hand running through his hair.  _Shit_. “Mikasa, look, I’m–”

“Levi,” her voice is just above a whisper and it is enough to make him go quiet again. He waits for her words and fists his hands by his sides, heart pounding in his chest, quick and hard enough to almost make him wince. “I don’t want a boy,” she says after a long pause and sucks in a shaky breath through parted lips; “I want a man.”

The confession throws him completely off balance, and he feels abnormally heavy and dizzy as his mind processes her words, over and over, and when she speaks again he swears his heart ceases beating.

“I want you.”

There’s a ringing in his ears. It’s loud, deafening, the world is still spinning around him, but she’s standing right there, unmoving and waiting, hands tingling to be taken by his; she doesn’t flinch when his unfocused gaze sweeps all over her form, and smiles encouragingly, one beautiful and blinding wide grin, when his eyes finally find hers and he seems to register that she is truly there.

So he moves forward, knots his fingers in her dark hair and brings her head down to his level, mouth slanting over hers hurriedly and hungrily, tongue caressing over her lips and slipping past them. It’s clumsy, their teeth clink together more than once, and they smell of onion and bell peppers, but she is smiling when he pulls away to place a kiss on her forehead, and his lips brush against the skin of her cheek when he speaks. “We’re doing it right this time.” She nods, feeling incredibly emotional about the situation, yet she refuses to give it much thought and simply touches the back of his hands with her fingertips before letting her hands fall away.

“Come,” he says again as his fingers trail down her arms towards her hands, and he holds them firmly. “Let’s eat our dinner then we can go to Eren’s birthday party.” Levi seems to be done, but he adds as an afterthought. “But only if you go out on a real date tomorrow with me.”

Mikasa agrees to his requirements with a chaste kiss on his lips. 


	9. Icarus: II: Awake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I bet you thought I'd never update this again, hm? Fear not, my people, I decided to rewatch SnK and I found some old projects in my old laptop that got me spiraling down the SnK waterslide once again.
> 
> It's been two years, it's two in the morning, I just wrote this, I don't know what I'm doing with my life. Bare with me, because I forgot all I had planned for these fics. 
> 
> But don't let my creativity die, either. Tumblr's chinarai and I'm always, always open to prompts, so send them my way!
> 
> I'll see you all later, goodnight and goodbye!

* * *

**IX: Icarus**

* * *

**II: Awake**

* * *

They stared at the man, now wide-awake and agitated, each at a loss of what to do next. He looked menacing now that he was standing at his full height, which was not that tall, though, but the bed did really help, with his wings spread as if ready to attack. His cool gaze flickered over to them for a brief second before returning to the woman, and he barred his teeth with a hiss.

“Mikasa,” Armin whispered, slowly lifting his hand, eyes never straying away from the stranger. “Stop glaring at him.”

“No.”

“Mikasa, he can kill us all,” was his muttered reply, his fingers closing around her wrist softly and giving it a gentle tug. “Stop it.”

She held her stare, unwavering and strong willed, before taking in a deep, silent breath and closing her eyes, shifting her body away. Armin’s stance visibly relaxed, though the same could not be said to the man they found unconscious in the dirty sand of the beach. He trailed after her, studying her profile and deeming if she was dangerous to him, then focused his small irises on both boys to analyze them with a critical eye. Armin hoped he seemed innocent and harmless enough, while Eren had that look to his face that screamed that he was deeply intrigued with something.

The blond took a small step forward, immediately halting when the man bent his knees ever so slightly, readying to fight or flight if needed. “H-Hello.” He started slowly and kept his hands visible to his sides to show he meant no threat. “Can you understand me?”

“I doubt something like him can understand us, Armin.”

He sighed and continued, not wanting to sound exasperated, but failing. “I know, Mikasa.” Licking his lips, Armin added. “Why don’t you too wait outside while I try to sort things out?”

She needed not be told twice. Whirling around unceremoniously, she exited the room without missing a beat, throwing one last dirty look at the stranger from over her shoulder before disappearing around the corner. Eren took his time to budge from where he stood, but eventually left as well, though he backtracked his way outside as his round, wide eyes kept focused on him. Armin waited until the front door closed behind his friend’s back to roll his shoulders and start speaking.

* * *

“This is Levi.” He motioned to the man sitting cross-legged on the bed, still clad in his shorts and Eren’s shirt.

Mikasa cast the man in question a suspicious glance before directing her words to her friend. “Did he tell you that himself or what?”

“He doesn’t speak our language,” he admitted with a shake of his head, “But he understands that we’ll help him.”

Levi was busy looking at them with disinterest, his back taut and straight despite his mostly casual position. Armin mentioned that he changed the bandages around his injured wings while they were talking in an attempt to get him to understand they were his allies. It seemed to have worked for his shoulders were not as tense as they were before, though he still had that mistrustful glint in his eyes.

Armin handed him a glass of cool water before ushering both his friends to the hallway, and spoke in hushed tones, even if the man could not understand them. “Eren, we’re going to get some clothes that fit him.” Mikasa quirked an eyebrow and crossed her arms under her bust, looking very much displeased with the division of chores. “What? You have more chances of stopping him if he tries anything.”

“Just because I can knock some guys out in the gym doesn’t mean I can do the same to a winged freak.”

He hushed her with a finger pressed to his lips, and Eren spoke next. “I don’t think that’s going to be needed, but let’s go.” Already moving to replace his flip-flops with his sneakers, the brunet tied the laces and then slipped his arms inside the sleeves of his hoodie. “Get him to shower and make him eat something.”

She watched on as they checked their wallets and grabbed the keys, hurrying out the door and closing it loudly behind their forms. With a sigh, she nearly dragged her feet back to Eren’s bedroom, stopping at the threshold to look at Levi. He was glancing out the window at the falling rain from his perch on the bed, gaze sweeping over the dark grey skies as if looking for something. “Hey.” His head snapped in her direction, eyebrows immediately pinching down in a scowl. “Now, don’t give me that look. I don’t want to babysit you either.” Frowning momentarily, she dropped her shoulders in defeat and beckoned at him with a hand. “Come.”

Mikasa waited, though not as patiently as she would like to say, for him to stand and move. It must have taken a full minute, but eventually he was on his two feet and following her down the corridor and into a small bathroom to the right. She explained what needed to be done, twisting the knob of hot water this way and that so he would know how to open and close it, pointing a finger from the bar of soap to his body and doing the same to the shampoo and his hair. Retrieving another soft towel from the cabinet under the sink, she made it clear that he was to dry himself with it, and finally pointed from the clothes he was wearing to the little basket kept in the corner for things that needed to be washed.

Satisfied that she had done a good job, Mikasa waved a hand in the general direction of the kitchen and told him to meet her there once he was done, then closed the door of the bathroom and stood outside waiting. He poked around for a handful of moments, but eventually the sound of running water reached her ears and she moved away to make him something to eat. While she personally would offer him a small bowl of cereal and call it a day, she knew her friends would be unhappy, so she rolled her sleeves up and dug around the fridge for any leftovers they had. They had pizza, cake, and some rice. Snorting, she guessed he did not know what a pizza was, so she opened a drawer and grabbed assorted vegetables to make him a stir-fry.

Carrots and onions were chopped finely and tossed in the skillet, followed by bell pepper and the very last handful of snow peas. The kettle chimed and she removed it from the heat, pouring the water into a cheap mug with a bag of black tea inside. Turning around and blowing air into it, the girl nearly spluttered and dropped her drink when she spotted Levi standing in the doorway, fully naked with the towel draped over his shoulder and looking at her quizzically.

“What the hell!?” Her voice sounded much too strangled for her liking and she strode forward with quick, long steps, leaving the mug on the table as she went past it. “Cover yourself up.” He was leaning away from her, looking very much displeased, but she paid him no mind as she snatched the cotton piece from him and did her best to wrap it around his hips. It was awkward and enervating, wrapping her arms around him and knotting two ends together securely.

Mikasa stepped away as if burnt, glad that her face was not heating up although she felt deeply embarrassed, and threaded her fingers through her inky black hair hurriedly. “Here, you can have this.” She offered him the mug, being careful to stand an arm’s length away from him, and he took it from her hands, sniffing the contents. She snorted, and he glared. “Sit, it’s gonna take a while.”

Patting the nearest chair, the girl returned to her spot near the stove and stirred the food inside the skillet with a long spoon, briefly glancing at the clock and wondering if they would take too long to return.

 


	10. Casual Affair: IV: The Beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right, so, I figured we could go for some prequels now. I reread this story last week before I updated, and I figured there was much that could be added to Casual Affair and The Baby. So yeah, things are gonna be out of order now, but I'll let you know where each piece takes place. Buckle up and let's go!
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
>  **Casual Affair (Office!AU):** _The Beggining , Devil Of A Boss, Cancelled Plans, Confessions_  
>  **The Baby:** _Silence, Assurances, Truth_  
>  **Icaurus:** _Found, Awake_

* * *

**X: Casual Affair**

* * *

**IV: The Beginning**

* * *

 Mikasa nods to the elderly man standing guard inside the doors of the building, throwing a small, polite smile his way as she walks past, heels clicking lightly on the polished floors of the entrance hall. She fingers the documents in her hands, thinking over her schedule for the day. Her paperwork is nearly done and she promised Eren she will help him, along with Armin, catch up on his work, then they are going to have lunch together, and in the afternoon, she will most likely review a few contracts in her table before turning them in to her superior.

Approaching the elevator, a freckled man with dark hair standing outside allows her in first with an exaggerated flourish, causing the other man accompanying him to laugh loudly as he clutches his stomach. Thanking them after shaking her head, she steps inside and stands by the corner to give them space. They introduce themselves as Jean and Marco. Jean is the one who laughed, with lighter hair and bright caramel eyes; Marco has one of the gentlest gaze she had ever seen, and also the friendliest of smiles. Marco explains that they have been working there for only a few weeks (she remembers seeing them in the print/copy room), but that they have known each other for too many years, and Jean asks for her floor after he presses the designated button for theirs.

The doors begin to slide closed, but Marco places his hand between them when he spots a figure rushing in their direction. With the passage clear once again, the person steps inside, and they immediately recognize them as Hange Zoe, in charge of closely assisting the president of the company, Erwin Smith. Hange greets them enthusiastically, and they greet back in varying tones of hesitancy and politeness. They go up the first two floors shrouded in awkward silence, none really knowing how to act now that someone so important was breathing the same air in the elevator, though Mikasa manages to hide well whatever feelings she might be feeling.

It is not until they make it past the third floor that Hange turns around, smartphone in hand, and breaks the quiet atmosphere. “You’re Mikasa Ackerman, right?”

Blinking her eyes and focusing her gaze on the person facing her, Mikasa squares her shoulders lightly before replying. “Yes, that should be me.”

“Oh, great to find you here!” They pat her on the shoulder a couple of times, either ignoring or not noticing the way her muscles stiffen upon contact. “Would you come with me to Erwin’s office? He wants to talk to you.”

Simply nodding, she tries to ignore the way Jean and Marco, the former much more than the later, shoot her worried glances from the corner of their eyes. She takes in deep, even breaths, trying to remain calm despite the situation. Not many people return from Smith’s office with good news, and despite knowing that she has never given him any reasons to fire her, she cannot help but feel like what is to come is not entirely pleasant.

Hange bids the men farewell once they stop at the fifth floor and both walk out; Mikasa only assents with her head absentmindedly, not even sparing them a glance as they go, and the two that remain resume their elevator ride in one-sided silence. Hange talks for the remainder of the ride, and she knows they do not do it to lighten the mood or to fill in the silence. They talk because that is their nature, simple as that.

By the time she is sitting across from Erwin Smith, she cannot focus on anything. The sound of his fingers typing away on his computer, the tick of the clock on the wall, Hange’s voice coming from the other room, all of it blends in her ears until they are ringing, and she feels a headache coming. Erwin finally stops, turns to her with a small, amicable smile, not nearly as friendly as Marco’s, and laces his fingers together on the desktop.

“Miss Ackerman, it seems that in the last year you’ve been working with us, you were never late to turn in your paperwork, not even once. It baffles me that you never got a raise before, or never were promoted before.” Everything inside her shuts down as her eyebrows pinch together. “We’ve decided to promote you, all thanks to your competence.”

She chooses not to say anything, simply because her throat does not work. Promotions mean raises in her salary. Raises in her salary mean that she will be able to rent the apartment next door, move from their little shared cubicle and let the boys have a room for each of them instead of letting them share one. It means that she will have some more money at the end of the month to spend on whatever she decides, not that she spends much money to begin with. Perhaps, she can start saving it for a very much needed trip? She is sure Armin would love that.

“You can move your things to the floor below.” Erwin explains as he hands her the new ID. “From now on, you’re the vice president’s assistant.”

* * *

All of her personal stuff could fit into a shoebox, really.

Her adoptive brother and their childhood friend were ecstatic to hear the news. Though she was reluctant to leave them behind, Mikasa knows a little extra money can do them some good, so declining the offer was never even considered an option. She arranges her few things neatly on the desktop and moves over to the window, silently admiring the view she is granted. Now she has something interesting to look at whenever she is finished with all her paperwork and has nothing better to do with her time, though she might just do part of Eren’s job herself, anyway.

The elevator doors slide open with a ding and she walks away from the window to greet her new boss, curving her lips in a small, polite smile and keeping her hands folded neatly before her navel. Mikasa is about to bow her head in greeting, but he beats her to it as he places his left foot on the ground. “Oi, what are you doing here?”

She freezes, watching as he walks over to her. Her boss is just a tiny man with narrow eyes and small blue irises, and dark hair much like her own styled in an undercut. What kind of grown man has that hairstyle anyway? She knows that, if she were wearing flats, he would still be shorter, perhaps three inches or so. He can easily be mistaken for a teen if he decides to use more casual clothes – that is if he does not open his mouth, because his voice actually is deep, fitting for someone his age. And who wore cravats nowadays, anyway?

Blinking, she has to train her features so she will not scowl at him, though her smile dissipates as soon as he is done speaking. “I’m your assistant.”

“I don’t need any assistants.” Her boss, Levi Ackerman, she reminds herself, simply walks past her as if she were a piece of furniture. “Go back to where you came from.” He groans some more about Erwin and things she actively ignores, and Mikasa trails after him, her steps less quiet than they usually are.

She stalks after him inside his office, standing in the middle of the dark carpet with crossed arms and hips cocked to the side, watching through narrowed eyes as he drapes his jacket over his chair and claims his seat, back turned to the window overlooking the city outside. “What do you want?”

“I’m staying.” She replies, her temper starting to slip from her careful hold, her fingers grip her arms so tightly it bothers her. “You can’t send me back.”  

“Is that a fucking challenge?” His eyes glint when he reclines on his leather chair, forearm resting on the edge of his work desk. “I’m going to make you run back with your tail between your legs, brat.”

Mikasa raises her chin in defiance, staring down at him from her full height and added two inches from her heels. “I’d like to see you try.” She does not say anything else as she exits his office and closes the door behind her so hard and loud that it could be knocked off its hinges.


	11. The Baby: IV: Failed Attempt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, to my dear guest that left me a loving review, you're just in time! I was actually going to update The Baby series today, so luck's on your side, my dear friend. As I said, I'm going to take things back in time a little so we can have some more insight; it all felt a bit too rushed for me, but that's about to change.
> 
> I'd also like to take the time to thank each and every one of you that has read, favorited, followed and/or reviewed this piece so far! It warms my heart, and I hope that the fandom will be at its full strength when season 2 comes out next year! 
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> **Casual Affair (Office!AU):** _The Beggining, Devil Of A Boss, Cancelled Plans, Confessions_  
>  **The Baby:** _Failed Attempt , Silence, Assurances, Truth_  
>  **Icaurus:** _Found, Awake_

* * *

**XI: The Baby**

* * *

**IV: Failed Attempt**

* * *

Mikasa prided herself for the control she developed over her emotions. As years passed, she learned to keep her cool, learned to hide her emotions well under an impassive mask, learned how to think things through before jumping into action. It all happened once she put her animosity for the Corporal aside and decided to take his advices for once, letting him pull her under his wing and learning from the best of the best.

She could not quite remember well the last time she felt anxiousness ripping through her insides, so constant and so demanding of attention that she could not focus on anything else. She could not remember the last time she lost sleep over something that deeply bothered her, the last time she felt hesitant to move and do something, the last time she tired herself out for overthinking so much. She learned to control herself, her emotions and her thoughts, learned to trust her abilities, learned not to worry when things were beyond her control, learned to trust others – her allies – and to put her faith in them.

“Ackerman.”

Jolting from her reverie, her eyes widened minimally before she blinked and settled them on the form of her superior, sitting on his chair in his office, arm outstretched in her direction, palm turned up. She breathed in shakily through her teeth and set the cup and saucer on his awaiting palm, trying to control the quivering of her muscles. Mikasa set the tray and teapot on the corner of his desk and gave him a hurried salute before whirling around on her feet and walking on wobbly legs to the door.

She learned it all, yet her current problem was so worrisome that her own body was slipping from her control. She could hide it from others, just barely, the way she would brush her palm against her stomach and close her eyes as her throat tightened. From him, though, it was getting harder with each passing day, and yet she could not find in herself the courage to tell him.

“Ackerman.” Her hand halted an inch above the metallic knob and she turned just a fraction to the side, enough to let him see part of her profile, and she did not know what she wanted him to do, nor what she _needed_ him to do. “Come back here.”

Mikasa complied with his orders, her chin high, but her eyes focused on the hardwood floor below. Stopping on the other side of his desk, her fingers trailed the edge of the furniture, the slight trembling of her limbs never escaping his trained eyes. With a sigh, he set the saucer down on the desktop and pulled his chair back, but remained seated as he beckoned her over, his arm hooking around her waist when she was close enough and pulling her to him. She twisted in his hold, already expecting it, and accommodated herself on his lap with knees on each side of his thighs.

Her breathing was labored. Usually, this would lead to something else, to deep, passionate kisses and delicious friction between their bodies. Today, or in the days to follow, she did not think she would be able to do anything more than just peck his lips and brush her hand across his. Her heart was beating too wildly, her body so full of tension and worry she would not be able to feel any pleasure at all.

Levi looked up at her, gaze hard and calculating, but she could see that behind his façade that he was concerned, and swept her fringe away so his palm could rest on her forehead. Upon realizing her temperature was normal, his eyebrows pinched as his hands came to rest on her hips, rubbing circles over her hipbone and making her lungs cease all work. “This is an unusual behavior, especially for you, Mikasa.” He said it lightly, voice low so that no one passing by outside would listen.

“I...” She maintained eye contact for as long as she could, then gazed over his shoulder instead to the scenery outside and bit the inside of her cheek. “I just...”

His palm travelled up and down her sides, perhaps in an attempt to calm her down, but it was doing the complete opposite. “You don’t need to talk about it if you don’t want.”

_“You don’t understand”,_ she wanted to say, scream it in his face; _“I’m pregnant! The child’s yours!”_ But nothing came out of her lips, only a pitiful, humiliating little choking sound, and with that she buried her face in the crook of his neck, inhaling the scent of clean soap and black tea that permeated his skin, and hoping it would soothe her worries.

He threaded his fingers carefully through her dark, dark hair, and placed a kiss on her temple. “Relax,” he whispered, his lips brushing softly across her flesh. When she told herself that, it never worked and she was left much more agitated than before. With him now, though, fingers working on her hair and mouth grazing her face so gently, her heart calmed its pace a little.

Still, even as she breathed in deeply, with her nose shoved in the crook of his neck and his hands touching her so comfortingly, she could not help but let her mind wander to places beyond her reach. It was a mistake, a stupid mistake she had made, and the result could threaten their relationship, their squad, even the Survey Corps as a whole. There was no telling how he would react to the news, how their Commander would react, what their friends would think of him, of her, of them. It was supposed to be a secret; no one was ever to know that they met in whatever dark corners they could find.

Her superior pushed her slightly away to gaze into her eyes, lines creasing his forehead as he frowned at her. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

It took her a handful of seconds, but eventually she realized that her frame was shaking far too much to be imperceptible. Both her hands rested on his strong shoulders and squeezed them tentatively as she quickly roamed her mind for an excuse, any of them, even if it were completely lame and he could see right through it. “I didn’t sleep well tonight.” Before he could even narrow his eyes at her, she added a little something to make it sound more real. “Sasha was talking in her sleep again.”

That seemed to do the trick. With a nod, Levi exhaled through his nose and rubbed his palms up and down her thighs, probably recalling all the other times she had mentioned her roommate babbling nonsense while unconscious. “You should be using your free time to rest, then.” He advised, casting a glance to the teapot that laid forgotten behind her back. She wondered, in the back of her mind, if he would ever know that serving him tea that afternoon was just an excuse to have a little alone time together in hopes she would spill the beans as her anxiety reached its peak.

Mikasa smiled, as reassuringly as she could manage, and locked her fingers together on the nape of his neck, leaning in to place a gentle kiss on his lips. “I’m fine like this,” was her whispered reply.

A guttural sound rumbled deep in his chest as his fingers dug into her cloth-covered skin. “I’m flattered that you would choose me over sleep,” his teeth gently nipped at her bottom lip, “but if I recall correctly, you and Armin were to help shitty glasses this afternoon.”

Trailing her nose along the side of her face, she was glad that he remembered it. While she had made a conscious decision of shifting his focus to something more _pleasurable,_ Mikasa would not be able to keep up with the act for much longer. Disengaging her body from his, a small smile found its way to her lips as she stepped away from the chair, her eyes never leaving his until she had no other option but to close the door of his office and lose sight of him.

Sucking in a breath through her nose, her arms wound around her middle and she hurriedly walked away from that place with her head ducked in defeat.

 


	12. The Baby: V: Another Try

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm always having ideas for new fanfictions. Always, I mean it. I had a few these last couple of days, but sadly most of them were used. Except for one, the prized one, and I liked it so much that I decided to transform it into its own story instead of featuring it here. I have about 14k words written so far, though the chapters are rather short. I really wish I had the skill to write long chapters; on Friday I finished reading a fanfic in which one of the chapters had 16k words. That's a lot.
> 
> Well, I'll not be publishing it until I have enough things planned and more free time. I should be working on the assignment I have to turn in on the 23rd. Yes, I'm digging my own grave.
> 
> Still, tho, I hope you like what we have here 
> 
> **Casual Affair (Office!AU):** _The Beggining, Devil Of A Boss, Cancelled Plans, Confessions_  
>  **The Baby:** Failed Attempt, _Another Try , Silence, Assurances, Truth_  
>  **Icaurus:** _Found, Awake_

* * *

**____XII: The Baby**

* * *

**V: Another Try**

* * *

Mikasa stood before the full body mirror, turning this way and that as her hands prodded gently at her still flat stomach. Thankful that she was alone in the shared bathroom and that her pregnancy had not begun to show, she stripped down the last of her clothes and set them aside messily folded and made a mental note to do the laundry as soon as possible. Turning on the knob, she stood under the warm falling water for a handful of seconds, just breathing in and out, trying to settle her nerves down, before lathering her body and hair.

Levi had left on a mission two weeks ago and would not return for another seven days. That gave her enough time to prepare herself and think of something to say, but her mind always came up blank. She was starting to suspect that Armin noticed her strange behavior, but thankfully his glances were never accompanied by concerned questions. It was better this way; if he or anyone else started asking too many things, she would surely panic and snap.

She was certain, however, that if things became too difficult and she could not break the news to him soon, she could confide in Armin. He would give her helpful advice and would aid her; he would most likely drag Hanji into it – she was the closest thing they had to a medic, after all – and maybe the scientist would keep it quiet. Eren would be kept in the dark, preferably, until all the dust settled and everything was resolved. If he were to know, he would start fussing over her and it would be impossible to hide what was going on.

The cool hallways of the headquarters were empty and only dimly lighted. Mikasa ventured though the penumbra with quiet strides, bottom lip caught between her teeth as she began overthinking once again, never being able to give herself some rest from this routine. As she came to a stop where two hallways overlapped and glanced to the left, where the sleeping quarters of the superiors were located, she took in a deep breath to settle herself before going to opposite direction towards her own room. She slipped into her room and closed the door behind her, thankful that Sasha and Historia were filling gaps in another squad and were sent for a short mission, leaving her with the room only to herself.

The sight of a lit candle that was set beside her bed told her that she was not as alone as she had hoped.

He was there, sitting on the mattress, jacket and boots off, first few buttons of his shirt undone and his cravat was nowhere in sight. Whatever tension that had left her body during her shower returned at full force, locking her muscles into place and throwing her heart into a frenzied rhythm. Mikasa tried to act as casual as possible as she carefully paced around the room, set the dirty laundry in a basket by the corner and returned her boots to where they belonged, and finally walked in his direction, giving him a small, confused smile.

“I thought you’d only come back in a week?”

Levi hummed, settling his palms over her hips and pulling her closer. “So did I, but I’m glad I’m back.” With a slight smirk, he tugged her to his lap and wrapped an arm around her waist. He always did that whenever a chance presented itself. “Wouldn’t want to have you around Kirstein without me around.”

She rolled her eyes, lightly tugging on the longer locks behind his head. “As if he’d ever try anything.” His nose pressed to the side of her neck and she shivered, fisting a handful of dark hair instead. “Besides, I think he’s interested in someone else.”

“Oh yeah?” His breath fanned her ear as she spoke, and he chuckled when she scrunched her shoulder up and quivered beneath his hands again.

“Yeah,” her pursed lips pressed to his mouth only for a brief moment. “When did you arrive?”

“Just now.” He rolled his shoulders to relieve some of the tension, and she shifted away from him in favor of kneeling behind him on the mattress, her fingers working on the tight knots of his muscles. A sigh between a blissful sigh and a groan escaped him, and his spine curved forward as he allowed his body to relax. “Reported to Erwin and all that, found out that your roommates were gone...”

Mikasa hummed, feeling her heart palpitating in her chest. “And you decided to make a surprise visit?”

Levi nodded, and she hoped he would not notice the way her fingers were quivering again. If he decided to go through with his plans, she did not think she would be able to get out of it this time, and while she honestly missed the intimate times they spent together, Mikasa would rather clear things up first. “I was thinking you’d be asleep by now. You weren’t, so I guessed we could do something, but then I almost dozed off.”

Relief washed over her features. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her chest to his back, reaching from over his shoulder to peck his cheek lightly. “Wouldn’t want to have you passing out on top of me during sex.”

A short chuckle left his mouth and his fingers grasped her hands softly, rubbing circles on her skin. “I wouldn’t, either. You’d call me an old man and dump my ass so you could have your way with Kirstein. Or worse, Springer.”

She hummed as if deep in thought, furrowing her brows for an extra pinch of acting, despite the fact that he could not see her face clearly. “You’re right,” her fingertips drummed arrhythmically on his chest as she drawled the words out. “I should definitely dump you and go for Jean instead.”

Soon she was on her back, stifling her laughter, and he hovered over her with a mocking scowl on his face. “What was that about him having eyes in someone? Someone that isn’t _mine,_ ” he stressed that word by nipping the sensitive skin of her neck, “that is?”

Mikasa gazed into his eyes, her unwavering smile still in place, but her head was filled with a roar so loud that it buzzed in her ears. He lowered his head to tug on her bottom lip again, and just as she thought her heart would fail her in that moment, Levi rolled over to lie on his side, pulling her close to his chest and burying his nose in her dark locks. Her fingers loosely grasped the front of his shirt as she allowed her senses to slow down until her ears were clear of any noise and her blood had ceased thrumming so fervently in her veins.

“Sorry,” he apologized lamely, face still hidden in her hair. “We rode for hours; I don’t think my body can keep up with my mood.”

Her lips quirked up. “It’s okay,” hands snaking around his torso, she squeezed herself closer to him. “I’m kinda tired, too.”

A low, tired hum rumbled in his chest and he sighed. “I wish I could stay here like this.”

“Me too,” she replied sincerely and closed her eyes.

She must have fallen asleep, she figured. Levi was used to sleeping only two, three hours on good nights, and when he was truly exhausted, he could sleep up to five hours. If he had been so tired that they both shared a bed together for something other than sex, his internal clock woke him up long before she or anyone else would awaken, and thus he left her room to return to his. Still, Mikasa opened her eyes to find herself lying comfortably on her mattress, hair sprawled on her pillow and thin sheets up to her chest.


	13. Casual Affair: V: The First Lapse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, alright! I turned in my project last week and yesterday I finished the model to go along with it. Also, I had a fever yesterday, completely out of the blue. My hands are itching to post my prized idea, but I'm waiting to make sure that I can completely relax and forget about uni to focus on it. The project is what worries me the most, tbh, I need to pass aaaaaaa
> 
> Anyways, let's get back on track! I didn't review this before posting, but I'm hoping there's nothing wrong bc I reviewd this about five times before. Enjoy!
> 
> **Casual Affair (Office!AU):** _The Beggining, The First Lapse , Devil Of A Boss, Cancelled Plans, Confessions_  
>  **The Baby:** Failed Attempt, _Another Try, Silence, Assurances, Truth_  
>  **Icaurus:** _Found, Awake_

* * *

**XIII: Casual Affair**

* * *

**V: The First Lapse**

* * *

Levi is trying hard to send her back to her old department. So hard, in fact, that Mikasa would have openly laughed at his attempts if they were not so exhausting and nerve grating.

The first month they spent in each other’s company had to be most stressful time of her life. The pile of paperwork that gathered on her desk was unbelievably high and she had begun to suspect that most of his work found its way to her, and the orders he gave her were impossibly inconvenient. At least twice a week, he would ask her to face traffic during its rush hours and go to a teashop on the other side of town to get him his favorite drink. Mikasa lost count of how many pens snapped under the pressure of her fingers whenever he bosses her around like that.

Armin said once a couple of months ago that she could be someone very hard to work with and, though they had never met anyone else from her family, he attributed that trait to her last name. She never gave it much thought, but now that she has to work with this infuriating little man with an attitude problem, she begins to wonder if it really runs in the Ackerman genes.

She huffs under her breath as she clips a handful of paper sheets together and sets them aside, ignoring his drilling stare as he glares at her through the window pane that separates his office to her little room. Despite all the stress he puts her through and all the times they argue, voices bordering screams of fury, she stands strong. Mikasa is, above all else, stubborn, and she refuses to lose to this midget devil that is her superior. She wishes she could place curtains on the glass that stands between them, though; her mood goes downhill after she manages to find peace of mind, turns slightly to the side and sees him there.

Mikasa met Captain – as they like to be called – Zoe earlier that day, when she was mercilessly punching the button of the elevator that would take her to his floor, as if her violence would make it go faster, her other hand shaking and miraculously not spilling any of the black tea inside. God, she would like to spill it on his head instead, preferably while it still burned hot. Hanji commented on how loud they could get when they clashed and patted the young woman lightly on the shoulder as if to comfort her.

“Give him time.” Hanji said, leaning their shoulder on the metallic wall of the elevator. “He’s been like that ever since his last good, in his words, secretary got married and pregnant and had to leave.” Grey eyes shifted in their direction, but her lips remained tightly shut. “The others that came after her were awful, I have to admit. Erwin heard someone praising you and felt you’d be the next best option.”

Any other day, she would have felt proud for being praised to the president of the company himself, but today was not that day. “I’m starting to think Mr. Smith made another wrong choice.”

Hanji simply laughed so hard and so carefree as if she had just told them the funniest joke in existence. “He’s absolutely sure it’s going to work this time, Mikasa. His intuition never fails.”

Mikasa frowns, remembering the last bit of their conversation as she carefully sweeps her thumb over the throbbing palm of her other hand. His favorite teashop really needed to find some decent paper cups, or else her skin is going to melt off by the end of this month. With a sigh she stands on her feet, arranges the documents together in one neat pile and tries to disregard the weight of his eyes tracing and following each of her movements. She walks around her desk and knocks on his door despite knowing that he is not busy at all, enters his office when he grunts and leaves the folders on the corner of his desk, immediately turning around to leave before anything can happen.

Once more, he beats her to it. “Ackerman.” Her steps halt, body shifting in his direction, and he motions for the chair across from his. “Sit.”

She eyes him suspiciously and walks over to the desk; heels muted by the carpet, she sits down and folds her legs. Mikasa says nothing, only waits as he studies her from over his steepled fingers. When his hands fall apart and he leans forward, she braces herself for the incoming jab. “How much do you want to give up your position here?”

“Oh, for the love of–” Her form snaps up, her hands slam down on the desktop, rattling pens and objects alike. “You’re an insufferable midget!”

He quickly mimics her stance, jumping to his feet, blue eyes flickering and eyebrows pinched together in anger. “Watch it, Ackerman.” She scoffs, breath fanning over his face, and pulls away to stare him down before turning on the balls of her feet. “I didn’t give you permission to leave.”

“Well, you’re so hell-bent on getting rid of me anyways.” Not even turning around to glance in his direction, she maintains her march to the door with hands balled by her sides. “What difference does it make to you?”

Suddenly, her form is tugged back, stride faltering as she is caught off guard and redirected to the center of the room. The door is slammed shut and he is closing in on her next, forcing her to take steps back until she is trapped between him and the mahogany desk. His lips are curved angrily, she glares down at him, but inside hopes that her bravado will not get her fired. There is a split second when both of them hold their breaths. Mikasa waits for the inevitable, holding her tense body in place so she will not curl into herself as the threat of losing her jobs hovers dangerously close – quite literally – from her face.

His nose is an inch away from hers, and from this close, she can see the darker specs of blue that circle around his pupils. Noticing the sudden closeness brings a wave of heat to her face that has nothing to do with her anger and instinctively she bites on her bottom lip, never missing the way his gaze flicker to her mouth and watches, as if transfixed, the way she nibbles on the soft flesh.

A curse leaves his mouth before it crashes down on hers and he is everywhere. His hands are on her waist, fingers firmly digging into her curves, and she slants her tongue over his lips, letting her fingertips glide over the broadness of his shoulder before they get lost in his hair. Coherent thoughts escape from her mind when his palms travel down her thighs and tug at the hem of her skirt, bringing it up to bunch around her waist, and he forces her back, hands on her hips, impatiently ordering her to follow his lead.

Mikasa sits back on the desk, weaves her arm around his neck and throws her head back with a silent cry when his hips grind into hers, rubbing his hardness against her core, his teeth and lips and tongue attacking the front of her exposed throat. Before she knows it, her back is flat on the surface, legs tightly wrapped around his middle. His thrusts are demanding, palms wandering and groping, holding her down, eyes watching as she bites onto her knuckles to keep quiet.

When a moan spills from her swollen lips, the spell is broken. Stillness fall over them and a second later, they are scrambling apart and away. Her boss watches her with wide eyes, and her knees nearly give away when she rights herself, pulling her wrinkled pencil skirt down and then bracing her weight on the piece of furniture behind her. It only takes her a heartbeat to find her strength and Mikasa quickly flees the room, head ducked down, nose buried in the red silk scarf around her neck, and fingers combing through her disheveled hair, rushing past the opening doors of the elevator.

Erwin steps out, glancing after her before redirecting his gaze to the vice-president, who is slumped in his chair with his head caught between his hands. He lightly knocks on the open door to announce his arrival. “Go away.”

“What happened here?” His light eyes focus on the documents scattered on the floor and a paper cup that is toppled over, black tea spilt on the carpet and dripping from the edge of the desk. “We didn’t hear much of your fight today, but from the looks of it, it seems to be the worst one yet.”

Levi sighs as he drags a hand down his face, and his features are contorted in an indescribable emotion Erwin cannot name. “She needs to leave.”


	14. Casual Affair: VI: Chocolate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may or may not have written this because a petit gateau flavored Magnum ice cream was announced and I just frigging love petit gateau and ice cream, so yep
> 
> As requested, Icarus shall be updated next. Also, I took the liberty of raising the ranting because things will get spicy sooner or later. Enjoy!
> 
> **Casual Affair (Office!AU):** _The Beggining, The First Lapse, Chocolate, Devil Of A Boss, Cancelled Plans, Confessions_  
>  **The Baby:** Failed Attempt, _Another Try, Silence, Assurances, Truth_  
>  **Icaurus:** _Found, Awake_

* * *

**XIV: Casual Affair**

* * *

**VI: Chocolate**

* * *

 

Three days had passed since the unthinkable happened.

Mikasa greets him every morning out of necessity, but nothing else is said throughout the remainder of the day. She still sits stiffly on her chair, watching as employees alike enter and leave his office, and relishes on the feeling of not having his eyes on her all the time. Every move she makes is controlled, she hardly looks him in the eyes and stands two steps away from his desk, always focusing on an invisible point on top of his head when she needs to speak with him.

Today they brought in his carpet, now washed and clean of any remains of lack tea and he spent a good portion of his morning incessantly cleaning his office, scrubbing every little surface and corner, as if trying to get rid of her presence.

She sighs, pulling her scarf over her mouth and nose, and takes in a few deep breaths in hopes that she will focus once more in her work. Because of his obsession with cleaning, the pile of documents and paperwork alike on her desk demands all of her attention, and while she has gone through most of it, there is still a lot to be done. She even called off her lunchtime with Armin and Eren in favor of staying in, so she would not have to stay past the time of her shift.

On these three days that passed, Levi asked for coffee served on the shop across the street. While it is a much better option than venturing through the city for just a cup of something warm to drink, she cannot guess why he changed his mind so suddenly. Still, today she used the opportunity to get herself a little fulfilling snack to eat, seeing as she will not be ingesting anything of substance that day until she gets home – unlike her boss, who left for lunch a little while ago.

Mikasa answers a couple of phone calls between one document and another, types away at her computer and enters his office once or twice to deliver a message from Captain Zoe or Mr. Smith. She rolls a pen around in her fingers as one hand cradles her chin and she reads paper after paper from over her nose, teeth gnawing on her bottom lip as she berates herself for not getting two pastries instead of only one. Her stomach is starting to grumble in protest and she does not think she can bear to go back to the coffee shop for just another cheesy treat.

Her head lifts when the elevator chimes and its doors slide open to reveal two very familiar smiling faces. She straightens up in her seat when they grin widely in her direction and approach her desk. “Hey.” Her dark eyes roam over their features as if looking for something that might scream _problem_. “What are you doing here?”

“We just came by to see you,” Armin explains as he glances over her shoulder at the city below, his blue eyes sparkling with delight. “Since you weren’t able to come and all.” He gestures to the neat pile of paperwork to her right, and she sighs dejectedly at it.

“Sorry about that,” her shoulders shrug minimally, because there is nothing she can do aside from apologizing.

Eren brushes her apology off with a hand and then places something on her desk. “We got this for you, by the way.”

Mikasa stares at the bright, shiny silver paper with purple designs, and tentatively reaches for it. She had not seen it in Eren’s possession until he placed it right before her eyes, and she turns it around to read the label. “You found it?”

“Yep!” Armin chirps happily, and the brunet beside him slips his hands inside his pockets with a grin plastered on his face. “It was the last one in the fridge. Eren may or may not have fought a kid so we could buy it.”

She touches a hand to her chest, smiling up at them. “Thanks, guys. I really wanted to try this.”

“Armin decided to check the fridge inside a random shop on our way back here and found it.” Eren nudges his longtime friend on the ribs with his elbow, and the blonde looks away as he scratches the side of his neck in embarrassment. “Either way, we should be going. Break’s over.”

Mikasa thanks them one last time and accompanies her friends back to the elevator, waiting until they are out of sight to return to her spot on her desk. Arranging the papers she had been revising and setting them aside to clear up some space, she allows herself to recline on her seat comfortably and slowly opens the bright package, her mouth watering as she unveils the limited edition ice cream she had been wanting to try for weeks now. It just had to be based on her favorite dessert, and she is not going to miss the chance of indulging herself every once in a while.

She brings it to her lips and takes a bite, and immediately hums in appreciation. Of course, this is not going to taste exactly like the best dessert in the world, but the chocolate that covers the ice cream melts in her tongue and it is _amazing_. She can easily say that it is the real deal and not some cheap brand found around here. This chocolate comes directly from Mitras and she knows that, because her superior, when she was still in her old department, presented her with a box of those during one of the celebrations they held every year.

This is absolute bliss. Closing her eyes, she draws out a long hum as she bites the chocolate away and lets it dissolve in her mouth, leaving only the chocolate ice cream itself around the stick. Her tongue laps at it, her mouth wraps around it as little noises leave her, and Mikasa is whirling her swivel chair around, grey irises hidden behind closed eyelids, and it is sweet, so sweet–

The chair halts suddenly. She snaps her eyes open, but the first thing her minds registers is the mouth against her own, the tongue slipping past her parted lips and caressing the inside of her mouth. She is shocked, to say the least, to see her boss leaning over her, his hands on the armrests, efficiently caging her in place. Ice cream now forgotten, it falls from her fingers that have gone slack. Still, they instinctively reach up to tangle themselves in his hair, as if she has no control whatsoever over them.

The simple movement triggers something and, soon, they are groping each other’s bodies. His hands cradle her face and his grip is so strong it borders close to painful, and she tugs him closer by the cravat around his neck. Mikasa cannot tell if he finds it weirdly delicious the way that her cold tongue meets his warm one, and the taste of chocolate in her mouth makes it all the better. She is losing herself, moaning, leaning up into his lips, one of her hands unconsciously hooking around his leather belt.

He jerks his face away from her, though his breath still fans over her skin and his touch still lingers on her cheeks. She looks up, taking notice of the blatant desire on his narrow eyes and it makes a shiver run down her spine; as the sensation goes over her body, the hand holding his belt gives a tug, and they both look down, only to be greeted by his arousal. Her face flushes instantly and her fingers let go as if burnt, and he takes on step back, openly palming himself through his pants to rearrange the stiff erection between his legs.

“Fuck,” Levi murmurs under his breath, gaze still boring into hers, and for a still second, they stare at each other at a loss of what to do.


	15. Icarus: III: Conversation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's around midnight here after a very, very long day, filled to the brim with anxietyand good things, so I'm leaving you with this chapter and nothing much to add.
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
>  **Casual Affair (Office!AU):** _The Beggining, The First Lapse, Chocolate, Devil Of A Boss, Cancelled Plans, Confessions_  
>  **The Baby:** Failed Attempt, _Another Try, Silence, Assurances, Truth_  
>  **Icaurus:** _Found, Awake, Conversation_

* * *

  **XV: Icarus**

* * *

  **III: Conversation**

* * *

 

It was raining again, and Mikasa did not think it would cease any soon. Whenever water did stop falling, the sky never cleared up, and at some point, the cycle would restart. Laundry had to be done, but there was no way that it would air dry in a weather like this. The soil of their small front and backyard was so drenched that it swallowed their feet if they ever stepped away from the stones that lined a path to the house.

She was sitting on the porch overlooking the backyard, with unflattering striped knee-length socks covering her shins from the chilly air, an oversized sweater, and the last clean pair of flannel shorts she owned. On the other side of the porch, reclined on a wood pillar, was Levi, all crossed arms and ever present frown on his face. She made him another cup of tea that day, which proved to be useful because it seemed to calm his senses down a little. Still, his posture never once relaxed, his eyes never lost their hardness, the firm line of his lips never softened, and he glanced at the bandage wrapped around his wing wistfully.

Armin and Eren were gone that day, leaving the both of them alone. It was not the ideal setting she had in mind, but now that she was on vacations from work and classes at college had not started yet, Mikasa was the only person that could stay home all day long and keep an eye on their guest. Things had become better after the little incident back in Eren’s room, but still she was not the most patient person when it came to dealing with him.

She bent her legs close to her chest and rested her chin on her knees, glancing at the winged man from the corner of his eyes. The three of them stayed up until wee hours trying to figure out just what he was and where he came from. Needless to say, nothing came to their minds, though Eren was adamant that he was some kind of angel that got lost or something. Mikasa, personally, thought that he was another one that had been kicked out from heaven and would build up yet another hell, but she was not about to tell that to her friend who, quite shamelessly, admired the creature they found unconscious on the beach.

Their blonde childhood friend was the one that was, by far, the most excited. He was majoring in history, after all, and he was a little bit nuts for anything mythological. She recalled him saying that Levi reminded him of some guy that made wax wings and tried to fly. She did not remember much aside from that; she had been tired then, and was so fed up of having to listen to the both of them gushing about this man that her brain simply shut off on its own.

Mikasa did not see what was so great about this irritable shorty, and she guessed they did not think ill of him because he had not slapped a tray away from _their_ hands. Well, at least he was useful. He was always cleaning the house, swiping rags across surfaces and crevices alike. There was not much to clean, really. Their living room was modest, the dining room was a bit small, the kitchen was tiny, but cozy, the two bedrooms were okay, there was nothing much to see in the bathroom, and the office that Armin claimed as his room was small. Armin’s room was the littlest bedroom in the house, but it was crowded with shelves, books, manuscripts, and even scrolls. Levi spent the entirety of yesterday in there, cleaning each and every piece in the room to get rid of dust and dirt.

Straightening her back when his eyes landed on her, cool and pure blue, she lifted a hand and placed it at the base of her throat. “Mikasa.” He pinched his eyebrows, and she pronounced her name once again, more slowly this time. Armin had asked that she try to teach him something, even if it was just how to say _hello_ and _goodbye_. His lips parted and she urged him to repeat her name, looking at him with an expectant glimmer in her irises.

“Mikasa.”

Her insides went cold for a split second, and then heat spread through her. Well, fuck. His voice was deep and a little rough around the edges, no doubt from spending so much time without speaking. It was the first time since he arrived that something other than growls and hums left his mouth.

Taking in a deep breath and hoping that he could not see any emotions flickering in her eyes, she tried to smile at him, but it felt like a grimace. “Good.” She nodded her approval and swept her hand in his direction. “Levi.”

She felt silly and embarrassed, especially after finding out that his voice was so attractive that it definitely matched his looks. Mikasa pressed her lips firmly together and decided to focus on the fact that she felt as if she were teaching a child their first words, and pushed whatever thoughts that pertained his appearance to the back of her mind. “Levi,” she said once more, watching as his lips worked but no sound came out for some moments.

“Levi.”

“I am Mikasa,” she motioned to herself again, and then turned her palm to him. “You’re Levi.”

He pointed a callused finger in her direction, “Mikasa,” and then at himself, “Levi.”

She nodded, the tips of her hair tickling her chin. “That’s right.” Her smile felt a little more natural this time and it widened when she spotted the barest twitch on the corners of his mouth.

Levi seemed satisfied with what he learned and gingerly picked the bright yellow mug by the rim, lifting it up to his eye-level and looked at it quizzically. Mikasa quickly understood what he wanted to know.

“Tea.” She supplied helpfully, and then added. “Black tea.” His piercing blue eyes stared at the hot liquid inside as he repeated the words, _tea, black tea_ , over and over.

Mikasa retrieved her cell phone from inside the pocket of her hoodie, unlocked the screen and browsed through her gallery of pictures, turning the device around and extending her arm in his direction. He leaned in closer to study the picture on the screen, one of the trio smiling brightly at the camera in Armin’s last birthday party. He had a hat on his head written _birthday boy_ in bold, colorful letters, and confetti stuck to Eren’s hair, his green eyes hidden away under closed eyelids.

She lowered the cell phone to the wood floorboards in the space between them and brought her hands up to her head, brushing her fingers on her jaw, his eyes tracing every move. “Armin.” She repeated the name and the movements, alluding to the length of his hair, and almost grinned when Levi mimicked both her actions and her words. “Eren,” she said next, pointing at her eyes and closing them.

He seemed to be catching up fairly well. Levi turned to face her once more, brought his hand up to his neck and wrapped his fingers around his throat. “Mikasa.”

She inhaled deeply, unconsciously fingering the red scarf she always wore, and nodded. “Rain,” she said hurriedly, placing her upturned palm under the water beads that dropped from the sky, then flicked her wrist back and pointed her thumb at the door behind them. “House.”

“House?”

“Yes,” with a shrug, she added, “Or Home. It depends.” Mikasa did not elaborate further; she did not think he would understand much from what she would say, explaining the differences between a house, an object, and home, a concept. Still, he inquired, questioning the last word with a slight pinch of his well-defined eyebrows and frowned lips. “Home is where you live,” she answered regardless, “home is a place where you feel comfortable, it’s a place connected to your memory and feelings.”

Levi looked pensive, as if he had understood all her foreign words and they made sense to his untrained ears. Quietly, Mikasa rose to her feet and dusted the back of her shorts, lifting an eyebrow when he pointed his fingers skyward. “Oh, that’s the sky–”

“Home.”

She froze in place, unable to do much aside from gaping at the winged man.


	16. XVI: The Baby: VI: Confront/Comfort

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By now, I think you've all noticed that once I set my focus on something, I forget everything else. Sorry! I'll do my best to tend to the other fanfics I have. 
> 
> I really like this one;as asked by KUBL, a chapter depicting the reaction of the other cadets is in order! The next segment of Casual Affair will be hot; at least, it's meant to be, and I hope it'll be of you liking.
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> **Casual Affair (Office!AU):** _The Beggining, The First Lapse, Chocolate, Devil Of A Boss, Cancelled Plans, Confessions_  
>  **The Baby:** _Failed Attempt, Another Try, Silence,_ Confront/Comfort, _Assurances, Truth_  
>  **Icaurus:** _Found, Awake, Conversation_

* * *

**XVI: The Baby**

* * *

 

**VI: Confront/Comfort**

* * *

 

In the wake of the revelation of her pregnancy, Mikasa was immediately moved from her shared bedroom and relocated to another one close to her superiors’, more specifically in a chamber situated right between Hanji’s and Moblit’s rooms. It was to be expected, of course; being close to Hanji meant immediate aid if anything were to happen, though the scientist spent most of her time away in her cluttered laboratory – and that is why Moblit was also nearby.

The moving of rooms was standard procedure, however rare the cases of pregnancy were in the Survey Corps. Her sparse personal belongings were put away in their correct places with the help of Eren, Armin, Historia and Sasha, specifically. The rest of the squad was nowhere to be found, though she had the distinct impression that Jean was taking it harder than even her brother and childhood friend. He looked pale as a sheet when she passed by him in the hallway, led away by Hanji as she cited every little thing she should keep in mind for her health and the baby’s.

Their squad leader, Captain Levi was also nowhere to be found.

That left her deeply unsettled and, in Blouse’s words, looking very sick and nauseous. She might as well be; her stomach was churning around so unpleasantly that, sooner or later, she would empty its contents in the adjoined bathroom she had been given. For now, though, she would brush it away and say it was just a side effect of being three months pregnant, and not because her secret lover slash father of her child was missing.  

Erwin and Hanji appeared by her doorstep long after the girls left, but the boys lingered, standing by her bedside as she made herself comfortable under clean cotton sheets. Erwin had not frowned upon her, though he did stress that her absence would greatly affect the work they performed inside and outside the field. Mikasa understood that clearly, bowed her head in shame and apologized, but her friends placed their hands comfortingly on her shoulder, and Hanji was telling him to be a little more delicate in times like these.

“Since you will not be joining expeditions outside the walls soon,” he started saying as a way of changing the subject, perhaps in hope that he would ease the tension in the room that he himself brought with his previous words, “you are to help me and Levi with paperwork and other affairs when needed.”

None of them seemed to notice when her shoulders stiffened and a quick horrified look crossed her features, but she accepted the predicament anyway, and Erwin came as close as to let his expression soften as he gazed at the trio closely huddled together on one side of the bed.

As alone as she could be now that her superiors were gone and her boys were either passed out on the edge of the bed or fighting a losing battle against sleep, Mikasa reclined on the headboard and fiddled with her fingers impatiently, hoping he would appear sooner rather than later. She came close to deciding that praying would be of more help rather than just silently wishing, but she was never a religious person and did not know where to start. As far as she could remember, her biological parents were not religious either, Carla attended to church a few times, always unaccompanied, and Grisha seemed to condemn these behaviors.

In the end, she figured that if a mightier force truly existed, it would not help her now after all she had done in her life.

The door opened with a creak, catching her immediate attention, and her eyes widened as she spotted him standing there for a brief moment, his legs taking him inside without a second though. Levi entered the room without sparing a glance to the hallway, as if he could not care less if anyone saw him there, and did not seem bothered at all by the sight of Armin and Eren in her bedroom. Given that by now everyone knew that the second strongest was carrying a child, they would most likely assume the reason why he was in her bedroom at night and get it right.

Unable to look him in the eye for longer than necessary, Mikasa reached over and gently shook her friends awake, murmuring that they should return to their bedroom and get some rest. They stirred awake, slowly opening their eyes and stifling yawns, but quickly jumped to their feet when the captain loudly cleared his throat, still standing his ground by the door, which he nearly slammed shut once they were on their way. They kept silent, he staring at the crown of her lowered head as he waited for the footsteps to fade away completely; she nibbling on her lower lip and squeezing her eyes tightly shut.

“You’re going to keep quiet, and you’re not going to speak until I tell you to. Is that clear?”

She nodded, ducking her head as he approached the foot of her bed.

“Do you understand what could’ve happened if Historia wasn’t there to catch you?” His voice was harsh as he reprimanded her, but she accepted it, knowing well that it was well deserved. “You could’ve lost the baby, or worse, gotten your neck snapped and died. You shouldn’t be running around like this. It’s a damn miracle indeed that you didn’t lose the child.”

Her fingers curled inward, nails dragging across the soft bedsheets. She felt his gaze sweeping over her figure, but he was not done yet. “You should’ve been off duty ever since you found out, which, by the way, happened a long time ago. Am I wrong, Mikasa? You found out about the pregnancy long before today. When were you planning on telling me?” His tone was accusatory, and she dared not point fingers and say that the slight quiver of his voice signaled his feelings were hurt. “Were you planning on telling me at all? Damnit!” His closed fist collided with the end of the mattress in a fit of rage, though it did little to suppress his anger as it would have helped if he were punching the wall instead. “Damnit, Mikasa! Answer me!”

“I was afraid!” Her throat tightened, eyes burning painfully, yet no tears spilled as she spoke to the empty space beside her. “I was afraid you wouldn’t want it. I was afraid you’d tell me to get rid of it. We never spoke about children; we never spoke of starting a family because there’s no time for this. I–” She choked midsentence, gasping a lungful of air as it seemed her chest was constricting with the lack of breath. “I was so scared.”

Dry sobs shook her body, fingertips pressing against the inner corner of her eyes that stung so, so badly. She truly wanted to cry right now; maybe the act would relieve some tension. “I know the risks I took.” Mikasa started, voice as small and meek as a mouse. “I know what could have happened, I know, I know, but I was so scared you would leave and...”

“You offend me.” His voice came from much closer now and the mattress dipped to her side where he positioned himself. “Do you really think I’d leave you and our child? Or tell you to abort it?”

She shrugged her shoulders halfheartedly, sniffing despite the lack of tears. “I was so panicked I wasn’t thinking straight.”

A long silence followed her statement, heavily hanging over them as her fears grew and morphed into another monster. Whereas before she was worried he would leave upon finding out about the baby, now she feared he would leave because she insulted him. He must have noticed the direction her thoughts were leading her, if the quivering of her shoulders and trembling of her bottom lip meant anything. With a sigh, his fingers gently closed around her wrist and lowered her hand away from her face, setting it on the bed between them as his palm glided over its back so he could lace their fingers together.

The simple gesture was oddly comforting. “Don’t hide things from me again, okay?”

Mikasa blinked at his softer tone and dared to relax some of her muscles. “You’re not mad?”

“Oh no, I am mad.” His other hand glided around her shoulders softly and pulled her closer to his side. “But now that it’s been done and it’s in the past, we can only look forward to the future.”

Something bubbled inside of her, twisting her insides differently this time, the sensation much different from the anxiety that had been gnawing restlessly at her for the past weeks. “So you’re... Not leaving?”

His chuckle would have been more humorous any other day, still it rumbled in his chest and he placed a kiss on her face before her body went completely lax and she slumped against him. “Of course I’m not leaving.”

Where her head laid in his shoulder, he felt the fabric of his pristine button up get soaked by the tears that her body finally set free. Levi reclined on the headboard, letting her cling to him for as long as she wished as she cried herself dry and spent, surrendering to slumber in his arms. His fingers trailed leisurely up and down her arm as her breath fanned across his collarbones, body curled up next to his, hair gently tickling his chin and neck, he inhaled the faint scent of lavender and pressed their joined hands to his lips before resting them on his stomach.

He may have fallen asleep at some point, being unconscious for the scant three hours that his body was used to being given as rest time, and set his eyes on the scenery outside the window, at the changing colors of the sky, varying from deep blue hues to colorful pastels in minutes. Birds sang from their nests in trees, and the light slowly crept along the floorboards, inching up the foot of the bed until it caressed their feet and ankles. When the sunlight touched her face, Mikasa stirred awake, slowly and sleepily blinking her eyes open, pulling away from him to stifle a yawn with her hands, and smiled at him.

Despite his obsession for cleaning and his opinion on morning breath, Levi pressed his lips to hers in a chaste kiss and excused himself so he could exit the room before anyone saw him. 


End file.
